Danyl Johnson’s mum has blasted Simon Cowell and The X Factor today, claiming that they have set her son up to gain extra publicity for the show.

Maria Burgess says that Simon Cowell has favoured Olly Murs over her son from day one, giving him better songs and routines whilst Danyl is just used as tabloid fodder.

Speaking to The Sunday Mirror Maria said:

“Danyl’s very upset and frustrated at the way he is being treated. He feels he’s not being given a fair chance and that Olly keeps getting more up-tempo songs.

“And he’s not getting all the bells and whistles. He’s lucky if he gets a perspex box to stand on when he’s performing, while the others have much bigger productions. The week he got a choir, we thought, ‘Wow, they have really pushed the boat out’.”

“The situation is that Simon Cowell knows best. You don’t question him. Danyl has voiced his concerns repeatedly, but been met with a wall of silence.”

Maria also added that she feels many of the negative stories that have emerged about Danyl, were leaked by show insiders in order to drum up column inches for the show.

Do you agree with Maria, or do you think that Danyl Johnson really is the ‘most hated X Factor contestant ever.’? As always, leave your comments below.

The X Factor judges are said to be furious with Danyl Johnson over his reported diva like behaviour this week. Danyl reportedly stormed out of a vocal training session over his song choice and had a huge row with Simon Cowell later the same day. The News Of The World reports that if Dan ends up in the bottom two, the judges may eject him from the show as a punishment for his actions.

An X Factor source revealed: “They have to judge Danyl’s performance in the sing-off, but they can’t totally overlook how he’s acted this week.

“They’re looking for an international pop star and he’s proved he can’t handle the pressure and doesn’t have the personality to deal with tricky situations.

“Louis and Cheryl were starting to warm to Danyl but it’s back to square one now. They think he’s acted in a completely unprofessional manner. You don’t see Alexandra Burke or Leona Lewis storming out of practice. The judges think it’s incredibly childish.

“He’s acting like a spoilt brat, even though they’ve given him an amazing opportunity.

“It’s hard for them to completely block out all the stories they’re hearing. All the other contestants, who are younger than him, are managing so it’s not good that he’s not.”

Most disappointed in Danyl is said to be Simon Cowell, who has stayed loyal to the singer throughout the series.

An insider said:

“Simon is very disappointed in Danyl. He’s had so much support over the course of the competition.

“Through everything, Simon has always backed him and stayed loyal but his patience has been severely tested this time. He knows Danyl has a good chance of going tonight and knows a lot of people will think it’s his own fault.”

X Factor judge Simon Cowell has tipped 20 year old mum Stacey Solomon as being one of this year’s final acts.

Speaking at a charity dinner on Monday night, Cowell told the Jewish Chronicle: “I like Stacey. She’s a sweetheart. She’s a nice girl with a good voice and she’s getting better. She’s going to be in the final. She’s my favourite act after my own acts.”

He then told The Jewish News: “I like this girl. She’s got a great personality, her voice is getting better and she’s the only girl left. Being the only girl she’s going to get a lot of votes.”

UPDATE: BRIAN FRIEDMAN HAS NOW CONFIRMED THAT THE THEME HAS NOT CHANGED AGAIN. HE TWEETED:

“Just to clear up any doubts or concerns out there for X Factor fans… I confirmed the theme was changed, NOT that it was changed again ”

Brian Friedman has told his Twitter followers that Simon Cowell has changed this week’s X Factor theme again!

Earlier this week Brian reported that Simon had already changed the theme six times before settling on Wham! and George Michael songs. However at 5.28pm today Brian, the show’s creative director tweeted:

goodnight twitterworld… yes theme was changed again which means no sleep for the B!

Liam McKenna also announced on Irish TV channel TV3, that the theme had been changed this afternoon and expressed his sympathy for the contestants.

However X Factor judge Dannii Minogue insists that the news is wrong and she later told her Twitter fans:

As far as I know X Factor theme is still George Michael/Wham

As much as we hate the idea of Wham week, changing the theme of the show at this late stage can only mean disaster for the contestants. Unreality TV is hoping that this is just a mix up or a nasty rumour.

Simon Cowell has finally settled on a theme for this week’s X Factor show. Louis Walsh was turning on Dublin’s Christmas lights tonight, when he confirmed to a local radio station that the theme would be Wham! and George Michael week.

Today he also told Sky News:

“The theme this week has changed a few times, first it was Elton John, then it was The Beatles but now it’s going to be George Michael and Wham!”

Yesterday Brian Friedman complained that Simon had changed the theme six times before settling on one. If Louis is right, one has to ask if Simon wrestled with the decision for so long, why didn’t he choose a decent and perhaps even current theme.

A source told The Sun: “The theme has only just been decided which means less rehearsal time. Handily for the twins it wasn’t Elton John week or they may have struggled.”

Is anyone else fed up with the acts singing the songs of yesteryear? I thought we were looking for a current and marketable act here.

As always, leave your song suggestions below. I will be shocked if the the twins don’t attempt the Wham! rap.

Brian Friedman has lashed out at Simon Cowell for changing this week’s X Factor theme no less than six times.

The theme is usually announced the weekend before the show airs and song choosing begins soon after. However Simon’s indecision has led to a big delay in song choice and routine planning and reportedly thrown the whole process into disarray.

Brian, who acts as creative director for the show, told The Mirror:

“The theme has been changed about six times.

“I only received the final song choices by text 20 minutes ago.

“I was supposed to have the routines ready by Tuesday morning but it’s not going to happen because I didn’t even know what they were singing until now!”

Rumours had suggested that Simon would chose between Elton John and Wham, however Olly Murs has since been pictured with the lyrics to You’re A Wonderful One by Marvin Gaye.

So could this week’s X Factor theme could be Motown or soul? Leave your comments below.

Singer-songwriter Moby has blasted ITV’s X Factor and Simon Cowell all in one fell swoop.

In an interview to be broadcast on tonight’s Live From Studio Five, Moby claimed that the ITV reality TV show cheapens music and that he doesn’t understand Simon Cowell’s greed.

He said:

“I think shows like that are awful. I have no interest in it at all. I think it de-bases music and cheapens everything that I care about. I think that some great talent has come from that but the musicians who I love are the ones who write their own songs. If you look at someone like Joe Strummer or John Lennon, when you heard their music you knew that they wrote it and they cared about it, they’re the ones who decided how they were going to sound and what they were going to look like so the more disposable ‘Top 40’ side of things I think if it makes someone happy then God bless them but I have no interest in it.”

On Simon Cowell Moby stated:

“He’s probably a very smart business man but I don’t understand when people get to be exceptionally wealthy – why do you want more? Who wakes up when they’re worth £120 million and says “I’m unhappy today but if only I had an extra £2 million!”

Live From Studio Five, week nights at 6:30pm on FIVE

Simon Cowell’s right hand woman has revealed that the music mogul has realised that John and Edward Grimes do actually have the elusive X Factor.

Sinitta told Clsoer magazine:

“Simon’s been attacked but, to me, he made the right choice. He could have booted them out because he didn’t personally like them, but it’s not about what Simon likes. He kept them in not just to benefit the show, but the public too.”

“It’s been an education for Simon. If he’s made a mistake it was not recognising what John and Edward had in the first place. Now he’s going: ‘Oh, they have the X Factor.’ I really do think they could win.”

Sinitta also revealed that there have been more judges spats this year than ever before.

“There have been tears and tantrums especially with Louis,” she said.

She added: “There are more rows now than ever because there’s no soft approach any more. It’s not Dannii or Cheryl’s first year as judges, so it has become a level playing field. It’s a clear fight, so let the best man win.”

Rock star Sting has snubbed Simon Cowell and turned down his offer to appear on ITV’s X Factor.

After Sting branded the reality TV show a ‘karaoke’ and said that none of it’s contestants would ‘make it,’ Simon challenged him to appear on the show and pass on his sage advice to the acts.

But last night the veteran singer’s spokeswoman Regine Moylett said: “I reckon that Sting has probably said everything that he wants to say about The X Factor.”

Simon hit back and is quoted by The Daily Star as saying:

“The whole point is that all the contestants are here because doors have been slammed in their faces from record companies so they need an opportunity.

“They deserve a break. It really frustrates me when someone who has had a ton of hit records is sitting in his stately home saying: ‘I don’t think you contestants deserve a break.’

It’s really, really snobby.”

Calvin Harris has been chatting about his pineapple invasion on Saturday night’s X Factor and the reasons behind his stunt.

Harris claims that he pulled the prank in order to highlight how much of a joke the show really is.

Harris told Radio One:

“Where can X Factor go from there? It’s not a music competition.

“If you look at music, it’s a frightening stranglehold that Simon Cowell has got over the entire music chart in the UK at the moment.”

He added: “For the greater good of the nation I wanted to go out there and make an idiot of myself and bring the whole show into another area in which it’s treated as a joke.

“I was backstage waiting to go on and I was listening to everyone taking it incredibly seriously. I was inspired to make a mockery of the show. As a music competition it is a joke and I think it should be treated as such.”