Nick Grimshaw says his 'X Factor' co-star Rita Ora is clueless.

Rita Ora

Rita Ora

The DJ and the popstar have joined Simon Cowell and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini on the panel of the ITV show this year and Nick admitted that he has been surprised by Rita's naivety, even comparing her to notoriously dim 'TOWIE' star Joey Essex.

He told The Sun: "She is like Joey with a good weave.

"She's so funny and doesn't even know when she's being funny. Her geography's unbelievable. Her naivety's quite charming. People will fall in love with her over it."

Nick admitted that he took advantage of Rita's cluelessness about geography to have a giggle at her expense after she asked him where Tenerife was when a contestant from the island started singing in Spanish.

He explained: "I told her it was in the Caribbean and he's singing in French.

"When he ended she was really serious and was like, 'You gave a good performance. When you started singing in French it became better'. Everyone in the arena lost it."

Nick's comments come after Simon branded Rita a "diva".

The music mogul finds the 'R.I.P.' singer "adorable" and thinks the fact she has an "ego" makes her a much more fascinating person.

He told heat magazine: "Rita is a diva, but adorable. I really do like her. I like people who have an ego and want to do well, it makes them more interesting.

"There is a side to Rita that I don't think people have seen yet, which is funny."