Cowell admits to staged X Factor scenes

Updated 15.09 Thu Aug 16 2007
Keywords: X Factor, Louis Walsh, Simon Cowell

X Factor bosses have admitted to staging some scenes in the new series but Simon Cowell denies it will mislead viewers.

Paul Jackson, the head of entertainment at ITV claims the scenes were re-enacted when the cameras missed vital moments.

"What you see is what happened. We don't try and censor this show. I've always said we will allow viewers to look through the keyhole and that's what we do" - Simon Cowell

One such scene is believed to be of TV's Mr Nasty Simon Cowell telling a producer that the show wasn't working with new US judge Brian Friedman and that he wanted to bring Louis Walsh back.

The judging line-up will now be Cowell, Walsh, Sharon Osbourne and new recruit Dannii Minogue. Friedman has been made a creative director on the show.

Mr Jackson says the X Factor crew only re-shoot on the show to get the story right, adding that producers will make sure viewers know when they are using the technique.

Cowell said: "What you see is what happened. We don't try and censor this show. I've always said we will allow viewers to look through the keyhole and that's what we do. It's raw and we don't censor. It's not a sanitised, make-believe show."

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