[Red Moon]

Stings of Leon

BITTER Leon Jackson has launched a stinging attack on The X Factor — amid rumours he’s about to be dropped by his record label.

The 19-year-old Scot accused the show of focusing more on the judges’ egos than making young stars’ dreams come true.

Leon was mentored by Dannii Minogue when he won the fourth series of the competition but later signed up to Simon Cowell’s label SyCo.

But after waiting almost a year to release the follow-up to his 2007 Christmas No1, Leon’s single was beaten to the top spot by Peter Kay’s spoof X Factor track.

And last night the jaded star blasted: “It gets clouded these days when the judges are having their confrontations. It should be more about the acts.”

He also refused to give his backing to X Factor boss Simon Cowell, who is desperate to win this year’s contest after two years of losing.

Leon said: “Simon has not won for a couple of years since Leona Lewis but I’d like to see Cheryl Cole win this year.

“I think she’s done a great job and it would be a great reward for her.”

The outburst is sure to infuriate pop guru Cowell who sealed Jackson a number one with his first single and oversaw the recent release of his debut album Right Now.

But relations between the pair are said to be increasingly strained after Jackson’s profile failed to match that of this X Factor predecessor Leona Lewis.

She has been guided to global superstardom under Cowell’s management.

Leon still counts the X Factor final as the most terrifying experience he’s had as he waited for Dermot O’Leary to announce him or Welsh weirdo Rhydian Roberts as the winner.

He said: “It’s petrifying. “Your heart is beating out of your chest — it’s the longest ten seconds of your life.”

Source: The Sun