Simon Cowell has dumped the episode of the show that was planned to air tomorrow because it’s not up to his standards, says the Daily Mail. Instead, TV viewers will see the show which was meant to air on September 4. Cowell says that people have to be able to trust The X Factor because of the cheating scandal. Supposedly, he was up until 3 AM on Thursday morning editing two shows side by side. He then made the decision to swap them round. The show’s producers have been accused of cheating after it emerged that contestant Gamu Nhengu had her vocal Auto-Tuned. More than 300 fans complained to ITV — and regulator Ofcom said it is investigating any accusations of unfair advantage. It has also emerged that show producer Talkback Thames used sound-filtering technology during auditions of another of Cowell’s UK shows, Britain’s Got Talent.


Is it the beginning of the end for this tired format? Everyone is happy being lied to as long as the lie is not exposed. Of course they use auto-tune, of course there have been contestants with pre-existing record deals, of course there has been cheating. Perhaps the end of the biggest and baddest reality show, Big Brother, will herald the decline of reality shows in general, and a return to an era of high quality scripted comedy and drama. One can but dream.
I’m watching Firefly (in its intended order) right now. After seeing Fox destroy that show thoroughly and being amazed at how amazing it is, I really don’t have that much hope for quality TV on the networks. Give me cable and HBO (Boardwalk Empire looks amazing).
And how, exactly, would the decline of reality television automatically trigger an increase in the quality of traditionally scripted comedy and drama? The phrase “tired format” can be as easily applied to either side of the genre fence.
Personally, I find the quality of reality shows (at least the best of the basic cable variety) to be on the upswing.
Brit TV producers can’t stop cheating.
Their audience.
Time for regulators to show some muscle. Whistle blower protection and seriously big fines for the networks, including the BBC, is the only way to clean this up.
X Factor’s not on the BBC, nor is Britain’s Got Talent.
“I’m shocked, shocked to find gambling in this establishment!” Riiiiiiiiight, Simon.
You must admit, the sound of jingling cash is really worth it!
Good, g-d, I hate Simon Cowell! Anyone else?
I am not so cynical that I am not shocked and appalled. Deception seems to be the shameless currency of the day. A good reason not to watch this stuff. Simon Cowell is ugly, outside and inside. Yuck. Who relishes a steady diet of this? Slugs, that’s who.
Cheating on a TV game show? OMG, you’ve got to be kidding!
hope by the time simon has the u.s version going the producers put rules in place against cheating that has hit the british version like dquing a contestant caught or using the so called auto tuner to get an afair advantage