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<\/p>\nThe 2016 winner of the ITV singing competition said that he and the other contestants were ‘pawns’<\/p>\n
Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne, Dermot O’Leary, Nicole Scherzinger and Simon Cowell on The X Factor(Image: ITV \/ Fremantle \/ Syco)<\/p>\n
An X Factor winner has claimed that \u2018no one protected him\u2019 as he asked Simon Cowell to have a conversation with him about the ITV<\/a> series.<\/p>\n Britain\u2019s Got Talent <\/a>star Simon is best known in the UK for his time as head judge on The X Factor. The singing competition ran from 2004 until 2008 on ITV, with the likes of Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh and Cheryl Tweedy appearing on the judging panel alongside him over the years.<\/p>\n Click here to prioritise Manchester news in Google from the MEN<\/a><\/p>\n The X Factor<\/a> is remembered for producing a number of the UK\u2019s biggest pop stars of the 21st century, including One Direction, Little Mix, JLS, Leona Lewis, Olly Murs and James Arthur to name a few.<\/p>\n Recent years have seen several former contestants speak out against the series<\/a>, including 2010 participant Katie Waissel saying she was \u2018completely ridiculed\u2019 in internal emails when she was at her \u2018lowest point\u2019.<\/p>\n As part of Magic Radio\u2019s new series Popstars at 25: The Story of a Talent Show Revolution, Matt Terry, who won the X Factor in 2016, has had his say on the care contestants received from the series.<\/p>\n \u201cAll of a sudden, I looked around and I was like ‘no one here is protecting me – and I think some of these things that are in the tabloids are coming from within’. And I get it now, I understand, it’s all to do with the show.<\/p>\n 2016 X Factor winner Matt Terry(Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n \u201cThe more me – and any other contestant – is in the press, the more scandalous, the more viewers – and we are pawns. I would love to have a conversation with Simon and know how he feels about it today.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone\u2019s journey has been different, and I\u2019ll speak for myself, but I won\u2019t ever let it consume me. For me The X Factor is \u2026 something I did a very small percentage of my entire life.<\/p>\n “It’s not who I am, it’s not my identity and I will never let anyone identify me by that again. I\u2019m an X Factor winner – but I\u2019m also many other things,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Speaking about reactions to the series at home<\/a> and around the world, Matt noted: \u201cI feel like – especially in this country I will say – I\u2019ve travelled the world, but it seems that in my own country winning The X Factor isn\u2019t that great.<\/p>\n “Whereas other countries I visit, it\u2019s respected you\u2019ve done such a great thing. Here it doesn\u2019t feel like that.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking back on the songs that are picked, Matt said that he had his audition changed at the last minute and had to quickly compose himself to perform in front of the judges.<\/p>\n He recalled: \u201cIt\u2019s all very secretive [the audition process] so I would go and do the producer rounds first and then again and again and again, and I just turned up one time and I didn\u2019t know I was going to be in front of the judges.<\/p>\n \u201cI got there and I was like \u2018I\u2019m not really ready, I\u2019ve just got a t-shirt and a pair of jeans on\u2019 and I wasn\u2019t prepared. I\u2019d chosen to sing When I was Your Man by Bruno Mars for my first audition but instead I heard the intro to Stand by Me \u2013 they\u2019d changed my song.\u201d<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0_ALP_-_MEN-_211117-Matt_Terry04JPG.jpg\")
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