Rylan Clark was inundated with messages from people asking if he was on the run from police after officers released an e-fit of a suspect who looked like him.
The bearded suspect possesses similar features to the TV and radio host, 35, who has similar facial hair and locks.
Rylan appeared on Wednesday’s episode of This Morning and cleared his name by proving he couldn’t have committed the crime as he is currently in Sweden.
The man is one of four people being hunted by police over an attack on a woman in Maidstone, Kent, in March.
The group demanded that the victim hand over her watch before chasing her and beating her when she refused to give it to them.
Rylan Clark was inundated with messages from people asking if he was on the run from police after officers released an e-fit of a suspect who looked like him
The bearded suspect possesses similar features to the TV and radio host, 35, who has similar facial hair and locks
Appearing on the ITV show via video link, Rylan said: ‘I woke up yesterday to a lot of messages from people saying, are you on the run? I didn’t know what was going on. I saw all the tweets.
‘I decided to tweet it wasn’t me and then the next thing I know, I’ve got ITN News on the phone. I’m like, “what is going on?” ‘
Rylan then took his camera and pointed it out the window, saying: ‘I can prove I’m in Sweden. There is a very big Ikea right there so that is my proof.
Fans of the star took to social media to point out the similarities, with the comparison circulating on X.
Reacting to Rylan’s post on X, one person wrote: ‘First thing that I thought was oh that’s Rylan.’
Another said: ‘Looks like a mix of yourself and Simon Cowell.’ A third added: ‘Hmmmm are you sure lol.’
It comes after Rylan recently spoke out about dealing with homophobic abuse online, insisting he has no reason to feel ashamed of who he is.
The television presenter rose to fame as a contestant on The X Factor in 2012 and he credits the show with giving him a thick skin.
Rylan appeared on Wednesday’s episode of This Morning and cleared his name by proving he couldn’t have committed the crime as he is currently in Sweden
Rylan pointed his camera out the window, saying: ‘I can prove I’m in Sweden. There is a very big Ikea right there so that is my proof’
While he says he would ‘hate nothing more’ than to take part in the now-axed TV talent show again, he is glad it was a stepping stone to the career and life he has today.
He said on The Radio Times Podcast: ‘You can look on social media and see someone say something that makes you feel like s**t for two minutes.
‘But then I sit there and think, “I’m rich. I’ve come out of a council house in Stepney Green.” Do you think I give a f**k that Julie038765XYZ on Twitter says that I’ve got horse teeth or I’m too gay?
‘If I do feel like s**t, I just check my bank balance.’
Rylan rose to fame as a contestant on The X Factor in 2012 (pictured) and he credits the show with giving him a thick skin
While Rylan – who finished in fifth place on the ninth series of The X Factor in 2012 and went on to win Celebrity Big Brother the following year – would be wary about appearing on certain reality shows again, there is one programme he would definitely sign up for.
He says he would love to do a celebrity version of The Traitors if one was commissioned.
Rylan explained: ‘I would hate nothing more than to be a contestant again. Unless it was on celebrity Traitors. I’d go to town on that.
‘Literally every time I see [host] Claudia [Winkleman] I’m like, “Why has this not been done? Sort it out or I’ll cut your fringe off, babe.”‘
