Cowell unhappy with 'Strictly' scheduling

Simon Cowell has complained about the BBC's scheduling of Strictly Come Dancing.

The X Factor judge claimed that airing Strictly at the same time as his ITV1 talent series on Saturday nights is a "stupid" and "unfair" decision.

"I did hope that this year the BBC - knowing we would be on air on a Saturday again - would have considered putting their show on at a different time," Cowell told the Daily Star Sunday.

"People love both shows and it is stupidity to keep putting them on at the same time. But sadly it's an obsession with the BBC to go against us. It's becoming stupid. The BBC is not a commercial company like ITV. Why not give the viewers what they want? They want to enjoy both shows - it's not fair on the viewers."

X Factor won a narrow victory against Strictly when the shows competed for viewers last week.

Cowell is also unhappy with the BBC for posting the names of the X Factor finalists on its website, before they were officially revealed to viewers in last Sunday's episode.

"We pay their wages through the BBC licence fee. We do not pay them to ruin people's enjoyment of TV shows," Simon explained. "It's incredibly stupid."

A BBC spokesman confirmed that the names were taken down after ITV complained. He added: "They were posted in error."