Mariah Carey - X Factor's Eoghan In Republican Row

X Factor hopeful Eoghan Quigg is at the centre of a raging sectarian argument over whether he should have participated in the show's Help for Heroes charity single.

Republican critics in his native Northern Ireland have called for the song to be boycotted as it tributes British soldiers who have 'invaded' Afghanistan and Iraq.

And Eoghan, 16, from Dungiven, missing a photocall with wounded soldiers had sparked speculation his family had decided to keep him away.

His father Chris Quigg made clear today this is not the case, however, explaining the teenager missed the photocall because he was ill.

"He's not a republican. We are all nationalists — Irish not British. We've lived through all the Troubles. But Eoghan was born in 1992 — he's far too young to know anything about this," he told the Sun newspaper.

"He's in a singing competition, that's what’s important. I'm p***** off there are still small-minded bigots here.

"Part of this is because he's a wee Catholic lad from Co Derry and some republicans are stirring it up. Some people just don't want peace."

The Help for Heroes single, Heroes, features X Factor finalists sharing the lead vocals. Eoghan sings the first line of the Mariah Carey cover Hero, which is on release now.