This newspaper has been holding back. Its time now the truth is said about the X-Factor. Its over Simon, you have killed the format, its too contrived, its all too staged managed and its time the public wake up.
If the X-Factor is a "singing contest" as Cowell often bleeps out then why are two geeks in jump suits allowed the time of day? The answer, the rest are useless also and the public are so bored with the Leona Lewis wannabe's that they want the least talented, worse singing duet in history to win.
The lads from Ireland, perfectly upstanding boys are milking their 15 minutes as they should, but at the same time the British public are actually showing what a load of rubbish evening viewing has become on ITV.
Pop Idol, X-Factor the Subo show, all show via the viewing figures (which are simply astronomical) how popular these shows are. With 14.5 million people watching these shows on average, not far off the amount of people voting at a general election reality talent shows are a phenomenon now globally.
With high viewing figures to hand; does that necessarily mean Simon Cowell et al should be given a mandate to do as they like and in effect run circles around the British public? Who ever wins the X-Factor you will be pretty confident that they will win number one spot at Christmas.
Its time now that the "music business" started to really claw back the territory the reality television shows have gained on grooming and promoting musical talent. Is Leona Lewis talented, she sure is, but does that mean every winner of the "Simon-Factor" should be guaranteed stardom, no that is not going to happen.
Moreover ITV have allowed a runaway train like the "X-Factor" to totally blitz its schedule, to the detriment of everything else it broadcasts and for what? So that two lads who cannot sing or dance are made to be nations "X-Factor", maybe Simon should start accepting the signals from the public.
Skate champs plan dream wedding on iceIt is a fairy tale romance of Olympic-sized proportions: China's 2010 gold medal pair skaters Zhao Hongbo and Shen Xue are getting married Saturday in front of thousands of fans -- on ice.
