CP’s top 10 entertainment articles of 2018

By Jeannie Ortega Law, Christian Post Reporter Sunday, December 30, 2018

Matthew Grech speaks before his audition on 'X Factor Malta,' which was televised on Oct. 21, 2018. — Matthew Grech speaks before his audition on "X Factor Malta," which was televised on Oct. 21, 2018. | (SCREENSHOT: INDEPENDENT.COM.MT)

9. Ex-gay 'X-Factor' contestant faces backlash for saying he found Christ, left LGBT lifestyle

An ex-gay contestant, Matthew Grech of the British Maltese version of "X Factor" said he received backlash after he declared on the show that homosexual "love" is "sin" and that he left the lifestyle after coming to Jesus.

Grech, a singer and vocal coach, appeared on "X Factor Malta" in October and during a video interview segment that played before his performance, Grech stated: "I used to lead a homosexual lifestyle, and then I found God. For a long time, I stopped following my passions to follow Jesus. There can be love between two men and two women, yes — but only friendship love. Everything else is a sin."

According to the Times of Malta, Grech's comments on his pre-audition interview led to his audition video being pulled from YouTube and Facebook quickly after his audition was aired by national broadcaster TVM.

"X Factor Malta" distanced itself from Grech in a statement saying that the music program wanted to make it "very clear that no part of Matthew Grech's original audition was intended to cause offense, nor were the views expressed those of the producers of the program."