'X Factor' bosses issue Laura statement

X Factor bosses have issued a statement following press speculation over whether phone votes were counted properly after last week's show.

Around 50,000 fans have joined a petition calling for an Ofcom inquiry after Laura White's surprise inclusion in the bottom two last Saturday, according to The Sun.

Some fans are reported to have had problems registering their vote on the ITV phone system.

Laura Reading, who set up the online petition, said: "X Factor takes the public’s money, but doesn’t reveal how many votes each artist received. Then, they try to gag young artists and stop them earning a living, because the producers make more money that way. It’s a disgrace."

The network responded by issuing an urgent statement this afternoon, saying: "We would never reveal the voting figures during the competition, as it could give contestants an unfair advantage and spoil the competition for viewers. At the end of the series, we are more than happy to reveal the voting pattern to the public which will very clearly demonstrate who the viewers have been voting for each week.

"There were absolutely no issues with the phone lines or the voting system which is subject to rigorous procedures and protocols. Our viewers vote for the act they want to keep in the competition and last Saturday, Laura White and Ruth Lorenzo received the least number of votes."

Responding to suggestions that White may return to the show, the statement added: "There are no plans to bring Laura back to The X Factor."

> Click here for our interview with Laura White