X Factor's Danyl: 'Whitney Houston hated me'

X Factor's Danyl: 'Whitney Houston hated me'
X Factor's Danyl: 'Whitney Houston hated me' (Image credit: Ken McKay)

X Factor contestant Danyl Johnson has claimed Whitney Houston "absolutely hated him" for singing one of her unreleased songs on the show. The 27-year-old teacher said the American pop star, who mentored the contestants for one week, disliked him for singing I Didn't Know My Own Strength, which is yet to be released in the UK. Asked who was his least favourite celebrity guest on the show, Danyl said: "Whitney absolutely hated me." He then added, sarcastically: "She loved the fact I was singing a song she hadn't released yet." He went on: "She was actually still quite nice but sort of didn't like the fact I was singing the song, but there you go. That was the worst one." He later clarified: "I was singing a song she hadn't released in the UK yet so she wasn't very happy." His remarks came prior to a secret gig in London, held by X Factor sponsors TalkTalk, where the four remaining contestants - Danyl, Stacey Solomon, Olly Murs and Joe McElderry - sang for a select group of fans. Danyl also addressed criticism he has faced throughout the competition, which includes suggestions that he was arrogant. He said: "At the beginning when I first auditioned it was a bit massive and over-hyped so I think it's balanced itself out. I'm back in the middle and that's fine. The other contestants have been really sweet about it."

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.