Outrage As X Factor Lowers Age Limit To 14
Controversy has raged this week as word spread that ITV had lowered the age limit of its talent show ‘The X Factor’ to 14.
A spokesman for the Family and Parenting Institute said: “We are concerned about the impact that a barrage of criticism will have on young people.
“It could send an unfortunate message to other children about bullying. We expect the producers to give proper support and counselling for young people who are thrust into the spotlight by the show.”
Chris Cloke, NSPCC head of child protection awareness, said: “Success on X Factor could be a real lift to a young artist’s career. However, it will be vital that ITV ensure they have robust child protection measures in place and that all young participants and their parents are made fully aware of what they are entering into.”
Sue Palmer, an education consultant and author of Toxic Childhood, said: “Young teens may think it’s a brilliant opportunity to get on TV and become celebrities, but the public humiliation doled out by Cowell would be emotionally destabilising for anyone.
“The under16s should be protected from this sort of experience.”
What do you think? Is 14 years old, too young to face the wrath of Simon Cowell? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.
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I think they should put the age limit down to 14 because their are lots of people my age that want to be a singer and wants to be famous, i know i do. Alot of people have been waiting for an oportunity to enter and just can’t wait 3 years til they can. I have always wanted to be a singer for ages an this could be my chance. I think that some people should think that some of us understand the pressure an think before we enter. This could be our oportunity so please think about our chances of getting through.
i dont no what you are talking about its about time they lowered the age limit so that other people can enter it to
ive my audition in london and im 15
also auditioned for britain’s got talent
i think its the best thing they have done
I think it’s a GREAT idea! I’m 14 and would LOVE to enter!!
i think you should reduce the age limits because i ve wanted to be a singer since i was little and it has always been my passion. people who enter know what they’re getting into so theirs nothing to be worried about their parents should be their for them anyway if they get rejected.
raine xxxx
Hi I am Lucy and I do not like the age lowered to 14 as they will not be ready and there are sinister reasons behind why they have lowered the age to 14.
Look at Britney and Micheal Jackson both have suffered because of child exploitation STOP IT NOW
I agree with Lucy it is child exploitation.
Children need to be protected..Why can they not wait until they are 16 to make it(only two more yrs)
It is a very bad industry from what I hear with peodofiles look at Johnathon King they want your soul now AND IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO BE A EXCELLENT SINGER
In any case Simon Cowell will likely they they need experience or they’ll be too say, there wont be enough time to work with them or they need to experiment and find an identity they can be comfortable with, He just knows the public will clamour to watch and spend money voting for kids so as long as there’s money in it Simon doesnt give a damn as to the trauma and problems which could arise, also if he is as rotten, disrespectful and totally bad mannered and insulting to them as he was to The Macdonalds last year then the show will really show itself for the SIMON COWELL EXPLOITATION FARCE IT IS.A rip off too, but hey, money and ignorance talks. Rod.
hiya my name is jamie, and i think its the best thing that has ever happened to have lowered the gae to 14, ino that it cud be child exploitation, but ther r ppl out ther tht want this more than life, and this could be their chance, as for me im of on the xfactor in 2008.
OH AND PLZ PLZ NY1 THT SEE THIS MESAGE PLZ VOTE FOR ME NEXT YEAR, MY NAME IS JAMIE WARD PLZ VOTE FOR ME, AND I THINK I RLY WILL GET THROUGH THE AUDITIONS AND HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN MYSLF I JUST HOPE U GUYS OUT THER DO….
i’ve wanted to be a doctor since an early age, it’s been my passion, maybe they should lower the age of uni applicants cos i just can’t wait. i think it’s sad, none of you kids can even spell yet and you’re setting your hopes on becoming rich and famous. give children a chance to want a childhood.
i think lowering the age to 14 is great cause i love singing!!!! i express my self by singing. you only go on the show if u can stand the comments! so facing simon is no excuse he rocks and always speaks the truth so listen to him people!!!
i am 15 at the moment, i love singing, dancing and acting, pretty much anything to do with being on stage and performing. at first when i saw about the age being 14 i was really quite happy about it, but as i think anout more, i dont like the idea of it being that young, children need time to be children, teenagers need time to be teenagers, imagine if a 14 year old won x-factor, you’d never get a private moment again. i think 14 is too young, 16 should be the age limit, but hey, desperate times call for desperate measures and obviously the show producers dont care about the needs that younger people have
I think its a great idea putting the age down to 14 me and my friend are always saying we d love to go on x factor thankyou x
i think they should lower the age to 14 because im 15 and wanted to try it. people say that others wont be able to cope with simons comments but what i think is if u can handle it then go for it but dont be a chicken at the last minute you may get somewhere one day if u at least try.
thanks xxxx
hey, i agree with bert, there are so many people saying “this is my dream!” etc its quite agravating! I think that its a good idea to lower the age because there is alot of talent there, but it could be a bad idea because, at 14 its so many people dream to be rich and famous, as you mature, you realise its very rare its going to happen, so many people are saying oh yes i love singing and its my dream im so good – so if so many people are so good then suddenly the stake is raised! so you have to be even better! Good Luck to everyone
They put the age down because there were very talented people who were underage at the time.
Come on, critism? sit through any parents evening for a year 10 or 11 student in the uk. I can assure you, you will hear much worse than Simon Cowell. Mainly because his job doesn’t rely on a hundred or more students passing only one or two kids getting abit through a reality show and entertaining the public for abit before they disappear again.
Young people don’t live in the land of lollipops and rainbows anymore, they know how much they’re valued in society or how little in some cases.
Good luck to the contestants!!! It’s a great opportunity but not any easy option for new artists.
i think that this is the best thing that they have done!!
I’m 15 and i REALLY want to enter.
People that enter should think about what could happen if they get critised and plus its not the end of the world!.
I think this is a good idea because then young people like me, can seize the chance to fill their dreams. I am planning to come onto xfactor and my parents have never heard me sing but I am determinded to come onto xfactor pretty soon.
I am 13 years old by the way.
why shouldnt they lower the age limit i really want to audition but they have put it back up this year :@
i think its good they lowered it
cause it gives us an oppentunity
my almost 14 by the way
hia u will need to write bk to me
am 15 in june so will i be aloud to audtion for the x factor or not write bk to me asap x
i think it amazing that
they have lowerd the age to 14
this has bein my dream since i was a little baba
in my mummys belly and i would love if it sticks to 14 this year as am 15
its a once n a life time chance for me
no one thinks that we can do it but we can its a dead exctiting thing to do
i would love to do it plz leave the age to 14
i ts my dream to be like jls
and who cares what other people think
if u get rejected u could always go back so older think tht they can get all the fame well
kids should get once in a life time chance to show what there made of really i think you rock if you keep it 14 write bk love to no if i can xxxxxx
i would love to go onto the x facotr ive always wanted to
:D
but am not 16 witch i think is nasty give children a chance
you would actually probley be shocked to hear the amount of kids who can sing like me and others but
i think adults are jelsouse coz of us kids to be honest
since i was 13 i found out who my real dad was and i want to do this to prove that i can do summit i got kicked out of school coz i was all anger inside of me
but this is a once in a life chance for me
people always say aw u cant do this and that but trufelly
i can and i want to show people how talented i am please if not for me or all the others that really want this more than anything in the world
xxxx
i dont see the problem in children entering
its well good thing to do
i dont see why loads of people against it really its a well fabulose
thing and i would love to see me up there singing my heart to all those i love plz just let it be 14 i dont think people will be very hapy if its 16
really coz i no i wont
i dont think others will either its a well good opportunity
this is my dream i just want this dream to come true please all us teenagers want to have this dream
keeping the age to 14 may keep teenagers by not getting into trouble so this is why people want you to keep the age to 14
you would be doing everyones parents a favour
tbh wiv ya xxxxxx