X Factor complaints continue to soar

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The row over the X Factor result showed no sign of dying down today with the number of complaints to media regulator Ofcom topping the 1,900 mark.

Most of the complaints are understood to have come from viewers who claimed they were unable to vote for Rhydian Roberts. The Welsh opera singer was favourite to win the show but was beaten by surprise victor Leon Jackson.

ITV said today it had received another 700 phone calls about the show, taking the total number to 2,600.

However, not all of the calls to the broadcaster were from viewers unable to vote for Rhydian. Others were in support of Leon.

The X Factor final - Rhydian Rhydian: the favourite to win One viewer wrote on an internet message board: "Like so many others... we were all constantly trying to vote for Rhydian, but the lines were constantly blocked with a message saying 'Sorry, but there is a high demand for the number you have dialled - please try again later'."

"I even tried voting for Same Difference, as I felt so strongly that Leon should not be in the final two, but again that was constantly busy.

"When there was just Rhydian and Leon left, Dermot said that there was just 1% seperating the two finalists - so every vote would have counted. Yet still there were many people who could not get through on the phone lines.

"The whole final stinks - whilst I would not go as far to say it was fixed, I do not believe that the results were representitive of the audience."

X Factor judge Louis Walsh yesterday dismissed suggestions that the vote had been fixed.

"As far as I am aware, of the 7 million plus people who voted, Leon won by a margin of around 10% which is pretty clear as far as I'm concerned," he said.

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