[Red Moon]

PM with The X Factor: Brown finds time to write fan mail to 12 finalists

We all need a little break now and then from the gloomy news of the credit crunch.

Gordon Brown apparently takes his on a Saturday night, when the X Factor starts. The Prime Minister revealed that he has an intimate knowledge of the ITV show, in letters sent to the 12 finalists earlier this month.

Despite his busy schedule he found time to add a personal touch to the congratulations for the finalists' charity single, Hero.

In particular he found a kind word for swimming pool cleaner Daniel Evans, who survived on the show for several weeks, defying harsh criticism from the judges.

The 38-year-old, who is bringing up his one-year-old daughter alone after his wife died in childbirth, won huge sympathy from the public – including the Browns.

In his letter to Evans, dated November 5, the Prime Minister, 57, insisted that judge Simon Cowell was wrong to say only pensioners were voting for him.

'On a personal note,' he wrote, 'can I say that the next time Simon says that you are only supported by the over-60s you can tell him that my wife Sarah and I disagree, although you would be better off mentioning Sarah rather than me as she is much further away from 60 than I am!.

'But, whatever the final outcome, yours is one of the great stories of this year's competition, and I know you will go on to great success in the future.'

Unfortunately, Evans was booted off within two weeks. Fellow contestant Ruth Lorenzo, 25, has revealed that in his letter to her, Mr Brown also disagreed with Cowell.

The judge had suggested that Spanish-born Ruth sing in her native language but she dismissed him saying it would be 'disrespectful' to the UK audience.

She said: 'In fact, I have a letter from [Mr Brown] and he says that Simon is wrong and he is glad that I am singing in English.'

The Prime Minister could be forgiven for taking an hour or so off each week in front of the telly, as he has endured a rocky year.

Shortly after he was accused of ducking out of a snap General Election last autumn, the economic crisis began to take its toll.

At one point he was a seemingly hopeless 20-plus points behind the Tories and speculation mounted that his enemies in the party were on the brink of carrying out a coup.

But a £500billion bank bailout and a triumphant speech at Labour's conference have helped him to a remarkable turnaround.

The X Factor letters are not the first time he has supported a reality television show.

Earlier this year, he appeared on American Idol in a recorded message to raise awareness about the charity Idol Gives Back, which is working with the Malaria No More campaign.

Source: Daily Mail

[pete_bennet]

that is biast that is how he did get through all those times the prime minister and the cabinet where using the governements budjet to call in for him it is the xfactor that created the credit crunch