Simon Cowell has leaped to the defence of American Idol contestant Antonella Barba, insisting that it was "disgraceful" of friends to sell racy photos of the singing hopeful.

Several pictures posted on the internet show four women posing topless at the beach and a woman engaged in a sex act.

Anonymous postings allege that Barba is pictured in the photographs, but the 20-year-old insists that she is not depicted in the raciest of the pictures.

Cowell told People: "I think it's disgraceful that so-called friends would sell these pictures. It's private property. I really, really have a problem with that – big problem."

In 2003 American Idol disqualified Frenchie Davis from the competition for appearing on an adult website.