[Kazanne]

Danyl Johnson is an X Factor contestant tipped for the top but apparently there is trouble at the camp.

Now Danyl's family are hitting back and his sister Janine insists he is not as arrogant as he is thought to be.

"It's incredibly difficult to get my head round. I don't know what to say about it because he's so nice, he's not cocky or arrogant," Janine told BBC Radio Berkshire presenter Andrew Peach.

In fact Danyl didn't even tell anyone he was auditioning for the show.

"He was into a bit of drama and things. He's been in a lot of bands and doing gigs on his own, trying all different avenues.

"He didn't tell anyone that he was going for it. But when he sang for Simon Cowell I was backstage. We'd been sitting in a room for 10 hours waiting for this hour to come. I knew he could pull it off.

TV viewers saw Danyl go home to see his family in Emmer Green, including his two-year-old nephew Malaki, which Janine said he found difficult.

"It was a reminder of what he's missing out on, like my little boy."



Rumours have been rife around X Factor contestant Danyl Johnson
But what is hard is the press backlash. Janine said: "It's incredibly difficult to get my head round. I don't really understand. I don't know where it has come from. He's not cocky or arrogant. He has to get up on stage and he has to perform."

His family go to see him every week on the show in London which Janine said is quite tiring and a bit stressful: "I don't know how they're doing it, but I'm tired." Janine said.

"It's probably better watching everyone else perform but I've got a vested interest. I have to watch it back later on to really enjoy it.

And the nerves kick in for the family too. "Saturday's not too bad, but Sunday's the day. Nausea sort of sets in, but it's not even 'will he be knocked out?'.

"It's just such an emotional rollercoaster. If you haven't gone through it you can't really understand. People think it must be really fantastic to be there, which it is, but there's just this underlying stress."

There have been reports that Danyl has been bullying the other contestants, having tantrums and arguing with Simon Cowell.

But Janine put paid to those rumours. "There's an element of truth, his name is Danyl Johnson, he is from Reading," she said.

"But I can't imagine my brother bullying anyone. It's a really difficult thing to listen to, you wonder where it's coming from.

"The bit about him stropping out is probably slightly true - because if you don't say I'm not happy, Simon won't listen.

"He has to make a bit of a fuss but he certainly didn't run out and have a massive tantrum. Simon was more than happy to change the song."

Janine explained the affect the rumours were having on the 27-year-old. "He does care. He cares more-so because it really upsets my mum to hear this stuff.

"If an ounce of it was true, it would be ok, but because it's not you have no kind of recourse. There's nothing you can do."

Susanne Courtney, a former Pop Idol contestant and BBC Radio Berkshire presenter, said: "It's a totally sickening thing to know people are reading stuff in the paper and believing it, and knowing what they are saying is totally untrue and there's nothing you can do about it.

"I had four or five stories come out when I was doing the show, and there's way more now than there used to be.

"I remember I'd come home for the weekend and it said 'Suzanne refuses to stand next to Michelle, she calls her a fat cow' and it was all total nonsense. I was at the Oracle Centre in Reading and someone sitting next to me was reading the paper, and I wanted to cry and then we ran off. "


Susanne Courtney made the final five on Pop Idol in 2003
As for whether Danyl will win, it's up to the public now as the judges had over the reins on the show. "You can't judge this one," Janine said.

"Joe's pretty strong. Everyone's liking Joe and we love Stacey. I love Lloyd, he is the nicest guy. He's amazing. He's only 16 or 17 and he's so grown up."

While the storm continues to whirl around Danyl, he is carrying on with the show.

"I have spoken to him this week. Things are fine, he's very very happy."

[Novo]

" Although Danyl is my brother i really can't stop myself from loving Olly "

[Tom]

"He didn't tell anyone that he was going for it. But when he sang for Simon Cowell I was backstage.

So how exactly did she go to the audition venue and end up backstage