The winner of this year’s X Factor will be given a £1m recording contract and a chance to gain worldwide stardom.

But it seems the show’s producers have run out of cash after they had to call a Kent mattress firm and beg for 39 mattresses to be delivered to their contestants’ house for free.

With the singing hopefuls performing in the first live shows this weekend, Hersden-based mattressnextday got a call on Wednesday, September 24, asking if the beds could be sent to them by the weekend.

The company sprung into action and turned around the order in two days, delivering them to the contestants’ house in Hadley Wood, Enfield, free of charge.

Any frolicking between contestants this year will be a cosy affair, as all the mattresses supplied were for single beds.

Despite their goodwill, bosses at mattressnextday then had a series of rules laid out, detailing how they could avoid upsetting the show’s sponsors TalkTalk TV.

This was after being told they might have their logo used on the main X Factor website and get some free advertising – none of which has come to fruition.

Chairman Patrick Seeley, 72, from Herne Bay, said: “They needed them urgently and we got them out of trouble.

“They got the mattresses for nothing – which we had specially made – but we didn’t sign a contract.

“At the end of the day we supplied them in good faith and don’t have a leg to stand on.”

Managing director Mike Wallace, 54, also of Herne Bay, said: “They said they would put our details on their website but as things progressed they said they couldn’t do anything because of their sponsors.

“We don’t want to upset them and want to make it a long-term relationship.

“But we got a short, sharp email saying we can’t do this and that.”

Despite the lack of advertising, the show has since given them some reward for their service.

Producers said they can give the business tickets to the live broadcasts and a chance to meet the contestants backstage, which the company aims to give away in a competition on its site.

The firm also hopes to highlight their connection to the show by carrying the X Factor logo on their own website, after more negotiations.

Mr Wallace said: “We got a bit animated and said they were going against what we originally agreed. Since then they have changed and started saying what we can do.

“They as the X Factor cannot say yes to something if the sponsor says no but as far as they are concerned, providing what we do is not stupid, it’s ok.”

Found on Lakesview International Business Park, mattressnextday send out about 1,000 mattresses a week across the country.