[Fom]

I loved Pop Idol, it was a lot less serious back then. And it was more focussed on making real life people famous, not professionally trained undiscovered artists.

People like Leona and Laura have already made albums and had a bit of recognition, they have just used the X factor as that publicity they need... Pop Idol was about taking people from ordinary jobs and making them huge. It worked for a few of them, Will Young and Sam and Mark!