Piers Morgan has no regrets over Boyle

Britain's Got Talent judge Piers Morgan has insisted that the show's producers did all they could to protect Susan Boyle.

The ITV1 programme was accused of exploitation after Boyle checked in to The Priory clinic with exhaustion last week.

Reports also claimed that the Scottish singer had suffered a breakdown after facing press criticism and losing out to dance troupe Diversity in the live final.

Writing in The Mail On Sunday, Morgan explained: "I don't blame the papers, TV and radio for pursuing the story, or even how they pursued it. But I do find some of their shameless finger-pointing faintly ridiculous.

"I cannot think of a single thing more that anyone could have done for Susan. Or a single rule change that could be made to protect future contestants from dealing with the unique problems of experiencing the unprecedented worldwide attention she has had.

"Susan wanted to be on this show, has no regrets about doing it, is well on the road to a full recovery already and came out of The Priory last week after just a few days.

"Now she wishes to pursue her dream of making an album, a disc that I would guess might sell somewhere north of ten million copies given her astounding popularity in America, making her the biggest selling female artist of the next 12 months."

Boyle was recently tipped to make a comeback on the Britain's Got Talent live tour following her recovery.