Is The X Factor's Six Chair Challenge too cruel?

"The Six Chair Challenge was hell for me," admitted former judge Cheryl in 2014. "I didn’t enjoy it one little bit."

And it doesn't seem like things are any easier this year either, with one judge now having to sit away from all of the others whilst they make their decisions. Reports have also circulated that both Sharon Osbourne and Nicole Scherzinger were left in tears after having to narrow down 20 singers to just six to take through to Judges' Houses.

But if it was cruel for the judges, think about the singers. It seems like this year could be the cruellest yet, with rumours suggesting that one group was even split up during the Six Chair Challenge.

Whether that's true or not remains to be seen, but undeniably the gimmick has been dogged with controversy since it began.

The live audience who sit in for the Six Chair Challenge at Wembley Arena get thoroughly involved with the decisions, chanting "off, off" at singers they don't deem good enough, and screaming the number of the singer's seat they want to see usurped.

When decisions are made that the audience don't like, near-on anarchy can erupt - even Simon Cowell couldn't calm them down back in 2014:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=28&v=8Z7buWL02uE

So what do you think about the Six Chair Challenge? Should it be ditched for being too cruel, or do you still enjoy watching the judges choose their final six in gladiatorial style?

The X Factor: Six Chair Challenge airs on Sunday 14th October at 8.15pm and Sunday 15th October at 7pm on ITV