Neil Tennant slams Simon Cowell's X Factor

Neil Tennant slams Simon Cowell's X Factor
Neil Tennant slams Simon Cowell's X Factor (Image credit: AP/PA Photos)

Pet Shop Boys frontman Neil Tennant has accused Simon Cowell of having a narrow view of music - and thinks The X Factor ignores entire genres of pop music. Neil said that the ITV1 talent show was 'basically people singing Whitney, Mariah and maybe Elton'. In an interview with Radio Times, he asked: "Why don't they have, say, a new-wave week? Or 80s electro week?" He added of the show: "If it's not power ballads then it was a narrower version of disco. "I remember on Pop Idol, [judge] Pete Waterman told someone, very sympathetically, 'The thing is, you're more of a Depeche Mode kind of artist.' In other words, 'What are you doing here, pet?'" The Pet Shop Boys, who release their first album in three years on March 23, will collect an outstanding achievement accolade at the Brit Awards on February 18. Neil also backed the return of Top of the Pops - but firmly believes it should not be updated. He said: "It should never have tried to be cool. If it's brought back, it should be the original format - show the records going up the chart, and the number one." It has not been a good day for Simon. Former X Factor host Kate Thornton said she would 'never talk to Simon again' after he publicly sacked her from the show and claimed her ousting was 'just to create headlines'. Get exclusive access to your favourite stars. Subscribe to TV Times magazine

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.