Chico Slimani has claimed that Simon Cowell forced Louis Walsh to put John and Edward Grimes through to the live finals, because he knew what a media circus would erupt around them.

The former X Factor contestant told the hosts of Live From Studio Five: “I’ve been watching it and I have to say, when they came on, I thought, ‘They can’t possibly let them through’. Now Simon is many things, stupid he isn’t. He’s rung up, going, ‘Louis, you’re putting those kids through’. Why? The thing is, who are we talking about now?

“They get in the newspaper columns, they’re getting people like us talking about them and they’ve got the kids behind them.”

He added: “Can they sing? No. Are they going to win? No. Are they entertaining and do you switch on to see what they’re going to do? Yes. Is it good for the show? Ker-ching, Simon’s got it going on!”