Britain’s Got Talent: Simon Cowell addresses ‘fix’ backlash surrounding contestant Loren Allred
‘That’s the whole point of shows like this, that you give someone another chance,’ judge and show creator says
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Simon Cowell has addressed claims that Britain’s Got Talent is “fixed”, amid a controversy surrounding one of this year’s contestants.
Loren Allred is one of the acts to feature on the long-running talent show this season, winning the Golden Buzzer from Amanda Holden during the audition round.
While many viewers were impressed by her singing, others expressed outrage when they discovered who Allred is – the voice behind the popular track “Never Enough” from the 2017 musical film The Greatest Showman.
Some fans of Britain’s Got Talent have suggested that Allred is too established to be a fair contestant on the series. However, Cowell offered a defence of her inclusion during the semi-final.
“I know you got a bit of stick in the media – ‘It’s a fix because you’ve been on another show’,” said Cowell.
“That’s the whole point of shows like this, that you give someone another chance.”
Alesha Dixon, also stated that Allred has “just as much of a right” to compete as anyone else.
The singer herself has addressed the controversy, saying in a statement: “Even though I have spent a lot of years in the music industry, people don’t know who I am. Over all these years I’ve been fighting for my chance to be known and to make it.”
Britain’s Got Talent continues at 8pm on ITV tonight (3 May).
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments