X Factor: Thousands of fans complain about the 'Fix Factor' as Simon Cowell saves Jedward

He once described them as 'vile creatures' and declared he would leave the country if they won The X Factor.

But as Simon Cowell must know better than most, nothing generates ratings like a good controversy. So it is perhaps unsurprising that his U-turn to vote for the Irish twins known as 'Jedward' has been condemned by viewers as a fix.

ITV chiefs last night said they had received an astonishing 3,000 complaints amid suspicions that Cowell knew the public had voted against Lucie Jones when he forced the 'deadlock'.

The broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has also received 50 complaints and could start an investigation.

The controversy came after Cowell had the deciding vote between the talented teenager Lucie and twins John and Edward Grimes on Sunday's show.

Instead of putting Lucie through, he went for the twins - leaving the four judges' votes tied and meaning their fate was in the hands of a record 16.6million viewers.

Despite the twins' questionable talents, the public opted for them - and Lucie was out.

Some claimed he wanted the twins to stay because - despite his criticisms of their act - they have proved strangely endearing to many viewers.

His decision added fuel to speculation that he secretly loves the twins, seeing their potential as a money-making novelty chart act.

There has also been discussion that he is protecting his own acts, all three of which remain in the competition.
Cowell justified his choice by saying he was thinking about which act he would rather see next week.

'I'd probably rather see the boys,' he admitted. This was despite telling them they 'couldn't sing' on Saturday's show, and describing them as 'horrors'.
Cowell last night denied he was aware beforehand that the public vote was in favour of the 18-year-old twins.

'I know there will be lots of people who will criticise the decision to let it to go to deadlock, but I honestly could not have predicted the way public voting had gone - I never get told the voting figures,' he said.
'The twins are good entertainment and there would be criticism either way. I really just couldn't make up my mind, that's why I left it to the public.'

A source close to Cowell said yesterday: 'At the end of the day, all we are doing is entertaining people. Simon actually thought the boys would go.

'Nobody voted for Lucie - and let's not forget that Simon had actually told her she had given her best performance of the series the night before.'
Ofcom will now decide whether to begin an investigation. A spokesman said: 'There are a number of complaints which we are looking into.'

It's the second time in two weeks Ofcom have been contacted over Cowell's decisions.

Last week he was blasted by viewers for forcing the vote to a deadlock after he picked Welsh teen Lloyd Daniels, 16, over 17-year-old Rachel Adedeji.

Cowell said he felt sorry for Lloyd who was suffering from a sore throat - even though the judges had been unanimous in their praise for Londoner Rachel.

Cowell's move prompted protest from thousands of X Factor viewers on websites, including the Daily Mail's.


Lucie's polished performance of One Moment In Time had won her the backing of her mentor Dannii Minogue and fellow judge Cheryl Cole.

Even Jedward's mentor Louis Walsh had told her: 'There's no way you should have been in the bottom two.'

Yesterday Lucie, 18, was philosophical about her exit from the competition.

'At the end of the day, it's not just a singing contest,' she said.

'It's called The X Factor so it is not just about having the best voice or being the best singer.'

She added: 'I just don't feel that me and Simon ever really clicked. Right from the start I don't think we ever really got on in the same way that he did with some of the other acts.'

And she refused to criticise Jedward. 'There was no way John and Edward had the least amount of votes... everyone loves them and I tried to deal with it before Dermot turned to speak to me... but I kinda knew,' she said.

Meanwhile, the Grime twins' mentor, Louis Walsh, said: 'I don't think that Simon got it wrong at all, this is a great television show and great entertainment.'

Lucie's elimination leaves her mentor Dannii with just one act, after losing Rachel Adedeji last week.

Finalists' betting odds

Olly Murs 2/1; Danyl Johnson 7/2; Joe McElderry 7/2; Stacey Solomon 9/2; Jamie Archer 12/1; John and Edward 12/1; Lloyd Daniels 66/1. Source: Ladbrokes

Britney storms the X Factor... but was she miming?

After four years absence from British television screens Britney Spears made a storming comeback on the X factor last night.

But those fans able to look past the skimpy PVC hotpants and fishnet stockings were left wondering whether the long-awaited performance was all that it seemed.

Indeed some fans were quickly debating on internet forums whether Britney had been miming the words to her new single Womanizer.

The pop princess' energetic dance routine did not seem to interrupt her vocals - which seemed near perfect.

This was despite apparent problems with her microphone, which she touched several times during the three-minute performance.

A spokeswoman for the X Factor production company insisted Britney had been singing, telling MailOnline: 'There were some live vocals, but that's a question for the record company.

ut for those who have watched Britney go through a much-publicised breakdown, then make an astonishing return to form, perhaps it didn't matter.

Louis Walsh certainly wasn't worrying about Britney's vocals.

He was wide eyed as the 27-year-old bounded across the stage to a position next to the judge's table.

As she bounced up and down Louis broke into a large smile, perhaps appreciating the novelty of his front-row view of Britney's scantily clad derrieré.

After her performance a grinning Britney told presenter Dermot that appearing on the X Factor was 'awesome' and 'amazing'.

'I love being here in London,' she gushed.

Unlike guest stars Take That and Mariah Carey, Britney did not mentor the contestants ahead of last night's show.

And when pushed as to whether she had any advice for them she told Dermot: 'Good luck and just keep doing it!'

Back on top: Vamped-up Britney wows the crowds at German awards show as she prepares for X Factor performance

Britney Spears delivered a show-stopping performance at a German awards ceremony tonight as she prepared for her highly-anticipated performance on X Factor.

The pop star showed off her slimmed-down body in hot pants, fishnet tights and a transparent black top at the 2008 Bambi Awards in Offenburg.

Spears – who releases her sixth album Circus next week – showed that she was back to her best as she strutted around seductively on stage and writhed around a large metallic circular cage.

Earlier today the singer’s mother Lynne Spears said that the 26-year-old had finally turned her life around after her much publicised breakdown and was now ready to return to the pop game.

'We’re going to get this done and it’s all going to be good. You just wait and see.' she told Lorraine Kelly on GMTV

She said even now she found it hard to understand the level of her daughter's fame.


'My friends and I, we talk about it and they go, "What is the deal? I mean, what’s so interesting about Britney?" And people that have known us all our lives are mystified – they go, "What is the deal?"'

Her upcoming appearance on X Factor will mark a reunion for Spears and her former choreographer Brian Friedman as well as her first performance on British TV screens in five years.

He said: 'She is such a sweet, endearing person. It will be nice to reconnect.

'Last year, I asked her to come and do X Factor but she was too hectic. This year it's happening. I'm so glad to see her back on track. Her performance is going to be incredible.'


X Factor judge Simon Cowell is looking forward to Spears' performance, having often commented on the singer over the years.

In January this year, when Spears was hospitalised for psychiatric evaluation, he said: 'She's welcome to call me any time.

'I genuinely think that if I sat down with Britney and, No. 1, remind her of all the good things in her life - which are her kids, her money, her success, everything - I'd try to give her a sense of perspective. And then I'd take her out of where she's living at the moment and ask her to go and live with her family - and live normally - for six months.'

Cowell is glad to see Spears - who has two children, Sean Preston, 3, and Jayden
James, 2, with ex-husband Kevin Federline - making a comeback after previously revealing his fears that her career was over following her disastrous performance at the MTV Video Music Awards last year.


He said at the time: 'If I had been looking after Britney I’d have taken one look at her in rehearsals and I wouldn’t have allowed her on stage.

'It would have been worth pulling her off the bill - no matter what the cost - to save any chance she had of resurrecting her career. She wasn’t ready for that show in every possible way.

'The problem she has now is that she could have killed her career. It’s difficult to come back from that performance, for a while at least.'

After a difficult few years, during which she went through a divorce and was hospitalised twice for psychiatric evaluation, Spears is now looking better than she has in years.

Since dealing with her problems with the help of her father Jamie and mother Lynne, Spears has been focusing her energies of getting her career back on track.

She picked up three awards at the MTV Video Music Awards in September for her single Piece Of Me, and continued her success at the MTV Europe Music Awards last week with two trophies - even though she was unable to attend the Liverpool ceremony.

Earlier this month, Spears wowed fans when she joined Madonna on stage during the Material Girl's Los Angeles gig.

Her sixth studio album Circus is set for release on December 2 - her 27th birthday.