A grandfather who auditioned for the X Factor this year has accused producers of the show of being ageist.

Claude Walters, 75, sang his way through two rounds of producers but was rejected just before he won the chance to audition for the celebrity judges and live audience.

Speaking to the Southwark News, he complained: “If they are going to use age against people, then they should stipulate an age limit and stop wasting people’s time.”

He added: “The judges were talking amongst themselves. They left me waiting for 20-30 minutes, before saying: ‘Sorry, it’s a no’. When I asked what was wrong with my voice they just said: ‘There is a lot of young talent out there. Sorry’.”

An X Factor spokesperson insisted: “There is no age limit on applicants for The X Factor and all contestants are judged fairly on their performance and talent. We are sorry Claude was not happy with the decision but we would like to thank him for auditioning.”