3,000 X Factor complaints over Simon Cowell's Jedward vote

November 10, 2009

John and Edward Grimes were saved when X Factor judge Simon Cowell decided not to vote them off the ITV1 show on Saturday, leaving Lucie Jones to be axed on a public vote

Broadcasting regulator Ofcom is 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.

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.

The Irish twins have become firm favourites with the public despite some erratic performances.

Vote

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. Lucie will be visiting Stockport on Wednesday to turn on the town's Christmas lights.

"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."
Lucie Jones' grandmother Jean Davies

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.”

Chickened out

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.

Entertaining

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.

Mentor

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.

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gbooth4, California (10/11/2009 at 16:40)

Keeping the twins in the show is very good for audience figures, as you can see!

Me746, Tameside (10/11/2009 at 16:45)

They should scrap the whole deadlock thing. If Simon is going to choose the easy way out every week, they should just read out the results as obviously the sing-off is pointless!

Blue Dude, Manchester. (10/11/2009 at 16:58)

X factor is not so much a talent show but a vehicle for mr cowell's smugness. He seeks to legitmise the way society ridicules people and makes it ok to insult others. His ego is the size of Salford Cathedral and nothing but nothing must come in the way of this. The "fake" bickering on the show borders on the pantomime and when he does switch his dial to saccharine it is mawkish beyond belief.

John Denver wrote a song that could have been written about X Factor
- The Day that Music DIED -

The real injustice in the music world is that:-
Tony Wilson - Dead
John Peel - Dead
Joe Strummer - Dead

It is difficult conversing with my 11 year old daughter to try to convince her that The Smiths are better than Girls Aloud.

Jay B, oldham (10/11/2009 at 16:59)

simon cowells not daft. he knows that this jedward thing is on everyones lips and the only thing most people who watch it are talking about.
if you dont like the situation and the way mr cowell is running this program then do the right thing and boycott the whole thing.

dont watch it!
dont vote on it!
dont even think about it!

if ratings plummeted because of jedward then he'll soon change his mind and vote them out in a shot.

but carring on like this is just playing into cowells pockets!
after all if you vote you're giving money to him!

Supreme Being, Manchester. (10/11/2009 at 17:07)

I don't watch this programme, but have seen efforts of the singing paraded on the news.
Jones has a natural sining voice and more talent in her little finger than the twits.
Shame on those who call themselves judges. They wouldn't pick talent over money, would they?

Maynard Kitchener Lampwick. Manchester., (10/11/2009 at 17:08)

The British Public is sick and tired of getting Christmas Number ones from this show, the last few years with this X Factor has took the Christmas tradition away, loved to hear, Bing, Cliff, Mud, Wizard,Boney M, Westlife, even Mr Blobby for a number one, its filling Simons pockets, Manchester DON'T vote again on this SHOW..

Paul Tippett, Londoon (10/11/2009 at 17:26)

I think Simom Cowell was right to do what he did. He is there as a judge, and as such, he exercised his right to vote, for whatever reason, in the way that he did. He probably didn't expect the result of the Public Vote to be what it subsequently turned out to be - but it was. Instead of blaming Simon Cowell, look to the voting public for your answer. It was they who voted, or in Lucy's case, failed to vote for who they wanted. She had the lowest number of votes from the Public Vote, and therefore, she went. End of story. However, it will be interesting to see this coming week's show and to see if the voting public show their feelings by not voting for two of Simons acts, putting them both into the bottom two and causing one of them to go!! or is that just being cynical?

Persepolis Young (10/11/2009 at 17:31)

I blame Gordon Brown and New Labour

Sully47, Spain/England (10/11/2009 at 17:52)

How can you be a mentor then changes hats and be a judge. Not impartial. Cowell is a parasite who feeds off the acts he thinks he can make him the most money.
When they are no longer in the spotlight he dumps them.
The show and he is past its sell by date.
Its overkill and becoming boring.
Cowell as only one thought in his head whats best for him.
What respect the public had for him as gone. Lets hope he and the show follows.

petan, openshaw (10/11/2009 at 20:01)

Simon did the right thing. Why not use the viewers vote for the last 12 as it us that will be buying the music. The result of the voting showed that Lucy was not as popular so whats the problem

arthur cheyney (10/11/2009 at 21:01)

simon cowell he should be called simon coward any other judge would have said lucie to stay
so don't vote for his acts in fact don't vote at all

star

Jodie (11/11/2009 at 12:28)

Simon Cowell knew very well that Jedward would not have the least votes, but he coul not actually say he wanted them to stay because he has called them all series. He had a huge dilemma, he could either lose the only act worth watching or get rid of a half decent singer. I wonder if the 3000 people that complained about his decision actually voted.

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