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Former X Factor star Austin Drage has claimed that John & Edward are "insulting" to hard-working singers.
Drage, who was knocked out in the fourth week of the ITV1 series last year, claimed that the current series is in danger of becoming like "Big Brother, with monkeys in cages".
"There's a lot of speculation about John and Edward, and yes they are funny to watch, but it's quite insulting to the people who do sing for a living," he told DS.
"They have filled a place, which one of those people could have taken, which for people who work really hard trying to make something of themselves is really hard to take. There are singers out there bustin' their arse every day of their lives."
He added: "Whatever job you do, if someone came along and took it off you who isn't as qualified and they start mucking around, laughing at the system, then you'll feel like, 'Why is this happening to me? I've trained. I've worked. I've grafted. Yet still someone has pipped me to the post because they are funny to look at'.
"It's not in a funny way, where people are laughing with them though, it's all very Big Brother, with monkeys in cages. Nobody wants to buy their album. It's just like watching bullying at school - it's just cruel.
"It's a little bit sad and I think there are better things we could be watching than those two jumping around on a Saturday night."
The Essex-based singer is currently working on a debut album with writers who have worked with Lily Allen and Tinchy Stryder.
"All I can tell you is that the stuff I'm working on at the moment has a classic feel. It has that classic sound," he said. "I love the classics, but there's nothing like a fresh hit, so I'm trying to blend the two together. We feel as writers, we're achieving that."
