An X Factor contestant who was raised in the Bay has downplayed a fiery statement aimed at judge Daniel Bedingfield after he was voted off the show.
In a 3News interview Taye Williams, who was born in Tauranga and raised in Te Puke, said Mr Bedingfield had a "brain explosion" when he chose to vote him off the show on Monday.
Mr Williams went on to say: "Daniel doesn't want to come anywhere near me. I won't be responsible for my actions."
Mr Williams, who now lives in West Auckland, told the Bay of Plenty Times he would never dream of physically confronting the judge but would continue to question his exit from the show.
"People will read into it what they want to. Everybody on the show knows I wouldn't raise a hand to Daniel Bedingfield at all. It was more about questioning his decision. It wasn't meant in a physical manner. Why would you shun me when I had the entire audience eating out of my hand?"
His exit from X Factor created a stir after Mr Bedingfield's vote created a deadlock and the decision came down to viewers' votes.
"Strategically Daniel made the right decision," Mr Williams said.
Even so he was not expecting to be sent home.
"It was astonishing really but it's a TV show. He's trying to win with his artists."
Sister Awhina Williams said Mr Williams had never been one to get involved in confrontations.
"I think he was definitely misconstrued. He's never been that kind of person. He's a pussy cat. He's a big softie."
Despite his early exit from the show Mr Williams was positive about the future.
"The whole X Factor thing was awesome. It's a great vehicle for exposure and for people who are trying to find their legs in this industry.
"To go from being just this little Maori boy from Te Puke to being this debatable topic on Twitter, there's nothing that I could have done that would have got me this much exposure that quickly."
Mr Williams said his next step would be to approach producers in the hope of getting airtime for his music.
"I'm ready to go. I've just got to find the right song."
Mr Bedingfield was unavailable for comment.
