The X Factor was thrown into chaos last night after one of the hot favourites was booted out BEFORE the show even starts.

Three-piece boyband Rough Copy have already been filmed taking this year’s competition by storm and get through to the Judges’ Houses stage of the show.

They have now been dramatically axed after it emerged singer Kazeem Ajobe would not be allowed back into Britain if he leaves the country because he doesn’t have a visa.

Last night Kazeem, 23, who was born in Nigeria but lives in South London along with fellow band members Sterling Ramsay, 24 and Joseph Thomas, 25, said: “We are gutted that we have had to leave the competition as we were having such a great time.

“Hopefully, if everything is OK with my visa, we can apply again next year.”

Kazeem recently submitted an application for leave to remain in the UK which is currently being considered by the UK Border Agency.

But he left it too late to travel to the judges’ houses – which are all abroad – and was told he would not be allowed to re-enter the country.

A source said: “It’s a total disaster. The band’s progress into the finals was almost a formality and producers were really excited about them.

"But they found out about the visa ­situation just as they were organising flights – and were left gutted when they realised the scale of the problem.

“They have no option but to axe them from the ­competition and replace them with another band which has proved a massive headache.

“To say the band are upset is an understatement but show bosses are even more so as they expected Rough Copy to shine.”

Checks on immigration status and visas are always carried out at the Judges’ Houses stage of the competition.

Show sources stress that it would prove a logistical nightmare to do them any sooner.

After finding out the news of their axing, Rough Copy sent begging messages on Twitter to the judges urging them to reconsider.

They pleaded with Tulisa Contostavlos, 24, saying: “There must be a way.”

In another tweet, they said: “Unhappy”.

And via another posting to Gary Barlow, 41, they said: “Unhappy... Gazza.”

Last night an X Factor spokesman said: “Rough Copy has been withdrawn from The X Factor as one of the group has a visa application currently being considered by the UK Border Agency.

“So if he travelled abroad for the Judges’ Houses part of the competition during this process, he would be unable to re-enter the country.”