Ronan Keating has caused a stir in Australia by telling a teenage X Factor contestant to quit school.
The Boyzone star, who is a judge on Australian X Factor alongside Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Mel B and Guy Sebastian, told Reece Mastin that he was a big enough star already to justify abandoning his education.
After the 16-year-old performed Alanis Morissette's Ironic on last night's live show, Keating asked him: "Are you planning on going back to school if things don't work out on X Factor?"
Mastin responded: "I don't want to," to which Keating replied: "Mate, you don't need to. This is your home. You belong on the stage. I was 16 when I started in this business."
Mastin has been pegged as an early favourite to win the talent show.
Earlier this year Australia's Got Talent winner Jack Vidgen, 14, quit high school to become the next Justin Bieber, but he continues to study via distance education.
