X Factor's cry baby

TEARFUL hunk Austin Drage almost wrecked his chances of fame when he made a fan PREGNANT.

The clean-cut X Factor hopeful, 21, had a one-night romp when he was in flop band 5Boyz.

A few weeks later the girl told him she was expecting-and he feared his reputation would be destroyed.

She lost the baby, and the emotional rollercoaster left him reeling. A source said: "Austin is so sensitive and this turned his world upside down."

The girl-a brunette from Coventry-was in a gang of groupies who followed 5Boyz between 2003-5, when they supported bands like Westlife and Girls Aloud.

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Our source said: "In 2004 the lads had a rare after-show party and Austin took the girl to a hotel room.They swapped numbers but didn't see each other again. Then she called to say she was pregnant.

"It nearly caused Austin to have a meltdown. He skipped rehearsals and freaked out."

We can also reveal that muscly Austin-who frequently bursts into tears on the ITV1 hit show-loves being STARKERS in front of the other contestants, even the girls.

DATES: Nikita

Layla Manoochehri, 22, who's in Girlband, said: "Austin is naked all the time. He must forget his towel most mornings when he runs from the bathroom to the bedroom.

"I've seen his bum-it's pert."

And rival Scott Bruton, 19, added: "He really is naked all the time-I can't stand it. He's always looking at himself in the mirror."

Last week it was revealed that Austin was bullied at school for his thick glasses and curtain hairstyle. He had laser eye surgery and started body- building to improve his image.

He is now secretly dating model Nikita Vassilliou, 25-but refuses to talk about it. When asked if he had a girlfriend, he said: "I'm playing my cards close to my chest on that one."