Hope deny Simon Cowell rift claims

X Factor girl band Hope have insisted that there is "no bitterness" between Simon Cowell and themselves.

A tabloid newspaper recently accused the girls of sticking the boot into their former mentor during a night out, but they have insisted that the claims were false.

"We went out and some undercover journalists there made up a load of crap," Phoebe Brown told Hot TV magazine. "He knows we wouldn't say stuff like that."

Asked what the group's relationship with Cowell is like now, Raquelle Gracie replied: "Really cool, we texted him to say 'Happy Christmas' and he texted back. It's a nice relationship and there's no bitterness."

The group have not yet been offered a record contract, but Raquelle said: "We hope to get snapped up after The X Factor tour in February. I think we've got something really different to offer."