Afternoon:
15°c
An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
London faces a wave of bus and Tube strikes that could cause chaos for millions of passengers as unions walkout over pay and conditions
More...
Watchdog to probe X Factor 'vote fix' claim after Jedward stay
Last updated at 08:56am on 10.11.09Broadcasting regulator Ofcom was today investigating complaints following Simon Cowell's decision to let the public decide who was to be voted off the latest episode of The X Factor.
Ex factor: Lucie Jones was booted of the show
Welsh teenager Lucie Jones was kicked off the talent show after the public chose twins John and Edward Grimes to go through to the next round.
X Factor Blog: Why didn't Simon get rid of Jedward?
The Irish twins have become firm favourites with the public despite some erratic performances.
Cowell's vote for them on Sunday led to the public vote deciding who would have to leave the hit show.
More than 3,000 viewers complained to ITV, according to reports.
An Ofcom spokeswoman confirmed that complaints had been made but would not confirm how many had been received.
She said: "We will assess the complaints against the Broadcasting Code."
Jones' grandmother Jean Davies, 74, told said Cowell "chickened out".
She told the Daily Mirror: "I said all along if it came down to Lucie and anyone else he would get rid of her because he is afraid of her. He is afraid of her voice.
"He said all along he wanted a male singer to win this year. He is protecting his own acts."
The twins said they were racked with guilt after knocking Jones out of the show.
The 18-year-old joined the boys, nicknamed "Jedward", in the bottom two in front of the biggest audience the ITV talent show has ever received.
She said the twins, who have been criticised for their lack of singing talent, felt guilty about staying in the competition.
On Saturday the twins managed to gain praise from their harshest critic for a performance of the theme from Ghostbusters.
Cowell said: "It was possibly more entertaining than anything you have done before. Well done."
As it came to the crunch, the pop mogul said he would prefer to see the boys again rather than Jones, but left the final decision to viewers.
His admission will fuel speculation that the record company boss in fact likes the siblings and has plans for them.
The show, which reeled in a record peak audience of 16.6 million viewers, saw the two acts fight it out in a sing-off, in which Jones sang Whitney Houston's One Moment In Time, and John and Edward sang Robbie Williams' Rock DJ.
Cowell, who has criticised John and Edward for their lack of talent in the past, voted to keep them on the show as did their mentor Louis Walsh, while Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole voted for Jones.
The decision went to "deadlock", meaning the matter was decided by the public vote.
Related articles
Reader views (12)
This is just a talent competition. If you are getting too involved then you need to switch off the t.v and do something else! I used to watch Xfactor, but haven't enjoyed the format of this one so don't bother watching it anymore. So do yourselves a favour and turn it off!
- Kim, Lancing, West Sussex
The real issue here is that Cowell claims he doesn't know the results of the public vote. He owns the show, so of course he does. Just because it comes in a sealed envelope doesn't mean that all the producers etc don't know who's going out. It's all panto and should be treated as such. It's a bit like claiming that WWE smackdown is real. Enjoy it for what it is.
- Mark, London
He didn't steal a freight train did he, x factor fans get over your selfs.
No doubt next saturday & sunday you'll all be watching like sheep.
- William, London
Time to stop voting for any of them.
Brian, Manchester: Up until Saturday's vote I would have agreed with you "Its time people stood up and made their vote count by all voting for Jedward..." but, Simon is double-bluffing the public and actually wants Jedward to win. So we would all play into his hands, and pockets, by voting for them. Also, in the last part of the show the judges decide rather than the public vote.
The best strategy now is for no-one to vote for anyone. Let the income stream dry up. The nation must show its contempt by shunning the phone voting system altogether.
- Peace Maker, Battersea
I'm not a fan of the twins but Is everyone forgetting that both were in the bottom two for the lack of votes....in the end it was the public that voted her out....and are you surprised that the twins are getting the votes after the bullying they have to encounter each week from a grown audience!
- Chetna, London, Hounslow, London
What a sham: Simon has kicked off about Jedward since the start but when it came to choosing between a lovely voice and the twins, he chickened out. Obviously, he has an alternative agenda, what a surprise. This whole series is full of needless bickering between the judges, partly of course to make "good" TV but mostly it is so obvious they don't get on. Will not be watching next year unless the whole format has changed. Simon is so out of line and is ruining the show for many of us even if he is increasing the viewer numbers for now.
- Pat, London
Would not touch this show or management if a contract was thrust in front of me!
it has never been about talent, never has. But a very clever person seeing a gap in then inputing their manipulative market ploys into play and milking it for all it's worth, and sitting back smirking laughing at all who are fooled by all he say's and utters. He is the best entertainer in the world A silly old man who's just a clown '
l could put a young talent in front of 'clown-face' now who can actually play instruments and sing, like many other Talented musicians out there.
Lip-syncing
Sadly the likes of this 'Clown' has corrupted operation the music business
beyond recognition. And stuck wannabee talentless youngsters on water tight contracts...The Shame... and applaud Lip-syncing starlet who have had there day....
However now others through his own greed can see through the mask of ' l'm so cool' persona and see he is 'just a fool'... in fact it will give some youngsters hope that of dreeams he has shattered through acid word like the wicked 'witch' in his own pantomime....
Now thats a thought for Mr Cowell A pantomime stick your 30 pieces of gold coins on that.
- Jdunford, plymouth
I stopped watching it weeks ago when Jedward got through, gosh always loved the Xfactor but now it's become a joke as those guys have no talent at all
- Sarah, London
Not a great fan of the show at all, but I have been dipping in and out of it since all of this hype. Its time people stood up and made there vote count by all voting for Jedward in the shows last few weeks. sales from the records will be non existing as nobody will buy them, But it will show Simon and the rest of the people that the public do have a voice.
- Brian, Manchester
Lucy in my oppinion should have made it to the finnal show but to keep in john and edward is making the xfactor nothing short of a joke.
I look forward to watching it every week but now i am seriously thinking of not bothering as i would have to sit through yet another bad performance from the twins and it wouldnt be a contest anymore as we all know who will get through every week despite the fact there are much better acts that deserve to get through.
- Terry Johnson, Gateshead,tyne and wear ,uk
Cowell said he would vote for the best on the night.He didn't.
To protect his own interests? Lucie was more of a danger to him than the twins. The public can play at Cowells gamely arrogance by not voting for any of his interests. He can only blame himself for what could be an entertaining 'joke' contest
- S Andrews, Wokingham England
This is pathetic, it was the public vote which put Lucie in the bottom place, not Simon Cowell. Is it now going to be that everytime an act that people don't like don't get sent home the public are going to say it is a fix? Also if all the people who are complaining had voted for Lucie, then perhaps she would still be in the competition. Not rocket science is it?
- E Sullivan, London
