If James Arthur wins X Factor next weekend, the first thing the show’s producers will need to do is to ensure that he completes a rigorous media training course. And what’s the golden rule of media training? DO NOT rise to Frankie Boyle’s bait! Sadly for Arthur, he has already fallen foul of the acerbic Scotsman’s cutting sense of humour. Always one for the cheap shot, Frankie Boyle posted a message on Twitter insulting him… and not just by erroneously referring to him as “James McArthur.”

That message read “James McArthur is like a cross between a tramp and a duckling ‪#xfactor” and unsurprisingly, James took exception to the comment. He probably wasn’t too enamoured with Boyle later referring to him as looking like “someone put a sheep’s teeth into a baby’s head.” James made the fatal error of responding to Frankie though (and we all know that the best cure for a Boyle is to ignore it and it will go away… not that that has worked with Susan Boyle, mind you). James responded by saying “Poor old man making yet more s**t jokes about Xfactor because he knows that's the only way he can get attention any more #prat.”

Proving that he’s much better at dishing out the insults than he is at taking them, Frankie was quick to reply “I think if I wanted attention I'd sing covers on a talent show, inked up like a schooldesk in a remedial class.” James had the last say in the matter, telling Frankie “Your a sad man and I can't wait to see you coz it's about time someone gave you a reality check.” We’re not sure that it’s technically possible to win an argument with Frankie Boyle; luckily for James, it’s looking likely that he might win X Factor, instead.