Chaos ensued during Sunday night’s X Factor as Louis Walsh requested an impromptu sing-off between contestants.

As the judge looked to narrow his boys category down via the Six Chair Challenge, he forced three of his hopefuls to battle it out with a last gasp sing-off.

With all six slots filled as 18-year-old busker Jack Mason wowed Walsh with a rendition of Andra Day’s Rise Up, the judge called on Spencer Sutherland and Benji Matthews to sing for their places in the competition.

Following their performances, the show descended into further chaos as he invited 23-year-old Lloyd Macey to sing again before eventually sending Matthews home to the anger of fellow judges Nicole Scherzinger and Sharon Osbourne.

X Factor 2017
Anthony Russell (Syco/X Factor)

It came during a tumultuous episode which had already seen Walsh push out Leon Mallet before being bringing him back into the fold after a furious response from the crowd.

Earlier, Scherzinger also fell victim to the raucous audience as she also invited back a rejected contestant in dramatic scenes.

Talia Dean was seen leaving her seat in Saturday night’s episode before Sunday’s opener showed the 32-year-old being brought back in place of Bill Deans.

She also opted to offer a place to 34-year-old Tracy Leanne Jefford despite her struggling to finish her song.

The mum-of-four from Middlesex first performed You Don’t Own Me before attempting Etta James’ Misty Blues.

Joining them in Scherzinger’s final six were French singer Kevin Davy White and Essex plasterer Matt Linnen who broke fans hearts after taking the place of 71-year-old retired bus driver Glenroy Grant. Also making it through to the judges’ houses in the Overs category were Berget Lewis and Montenegrin actor, Slavko Kalezic.

Walsh’s final six was made up of Macey, Sutherland, Mason, Mallet, Aidan Martin and 27-year-old Anthony Russell