Tom Meighan: 'The X Factor is retarded'

Tom Meighan has launched an attack on reality talent shows including The X Factor.

The Kasabian frontman accused the pop managers involved of destroying the lives of contestants, PA reports.

Meighan said: "I don't watch any of it. The design on X Factor, it's retarded, it's very backwards.

"Look what they do to people, pop moguls like Simon Cowell, they take people and then destroy them."

He added: "Not just Simon Cowell, there's loads of them out there. I just think it's a very strange show.

"Poor Susan Boyle, it's unbelievable what's happening. I just can't get my head round it. It's wrong."

The singer also backed fellow star Lily Allen's ongoing campaign against illegal filesharing and said of the practice: "It's just wrong isn't it? It's just so wrong."