Tom Bower’s biography, Sweet Revenge – The Intimate Life of Simon Cowell, has brought some skeletons positively crashing out of Mr Cowell’s wardrobe, and among them are Bower’s claims that Simon thought last year’s X Factor winners, Little Mix, were pants.

In the book, Bower writes that Simon branded Little Mix – who were of course the first girl band in the history of The X Factor to win the show – as well as several of last year’s finalists, “untalented” and “unwatchable.”

Simon reportedly told the show’s producers, “This is the worst group of contestants there’s ever been. We need a complete change.”

In response to the harsh criticism, a source close to Little Mix told Star magazine, “They’re pretty upset – it was a low blow and now it’s out in the public it’s worse…

“[But] they’re determined to prove him wrong by becoming a huge success.”

However, the group, which is made up of singers Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson, may have been somewhat appeased by Simon Cowell’s recent tweet which read, “I have just played the new @LittleMixOffic first single, it’s brilliant!

“These girls are really really good!”

Yeah, you’re about a year behind the rest of the world in that opinion there Si. Bless. It’s probably his age…