By Neal Wallace

Kelly Rowland has said that she feels sorry for former X Factor contestant Frankie Cocozza.

Writing on her blog on the Huffington Post, the Destiny's Child singer said that she felt for the 18-year-old tearaway after he left the show.

The exact circumstances of Cocozza's departure are not fully known, but he was the subject of an Ofcom investigation after apparently boasting about drug taking and promiscuousness with other contestants.

Rowland said that she "was so shocked – and I still am!" at the singer's axing from the show.

Cocozza had been pictured on a string of wild nights out since appearing in the show. His mentor Gary Barlow had expressed his dismay that the singer had thrown away the opportunity handed to him.

However, a recent report in the Daily Mail suggested that Barlow encouraged Cocozza's antics, telling him to play up to his 'bad boy' image from the start of the series.