Simon Webbe has said that the X Factor has brought diversity to the music scene, claiming that an all black boyband like JLS would never have been signed without it.

The ‘Blue’ star told The Guardian: “I don’t think an all-black boyband like JLS would have been signed in the days when we were starting out. The X Factor’s great in that way.

“It shows the record companies what people really want – especially as most labels are run by old guys who have no idea what’s going on in clubs or on the streets.”