SIMON COWELL'S CYNICAL DECISION

Although I am not usually a fan of so-called reality TV shows, I have been hooked in to the current series of X Factor. Of course, everything about such shows is really about as far from reality as you can get; yes, the show and its copy-cat variants do make stars of a handful of people, but you can't help feel that you're being manipulated by very astute producers as you follow the progress of the talented and the talentless.

Whilst I have been happy enough to watch the show thus far, and go along with the make belief world, last night's decision by Simon Cowell demonstrates just how controlling the producers (of which he is one) are. Louis Walsh's only remaining group, John & Edward, together with Lucie Jones, received the fewest votes and as such has to sing again so that the judges could decide who should leave the show.

So far, so good.

The decision, according to Cowell, would be made purely on the performances that J&E and Lucie were about to make. Lucie, after a shaky start, quickly gained her composure and sang like an angel. J&E, on the other hand, the jokers in the pack, performed as anticipated: out of tune and hyperactive.

After the performances, Dermot O'Leary pressed the judges for a decision. Walsh naturally saved his act and Minogue saved her act. Cole chose to send J&E home and then it came down to Cowell. Last week he failed to make a decision and relied on the public vote to determine who would go home. This week he was in control of J&E's fate and the nation willed him to send home the weakest act. In all the previous weeks he was always arguing that it was a joke that they were in the show, so his decision should have been quite easy.

But, he paused, he shuffled in his seat and he cogitated. Before he made a decision he said that neither act would win the show and droned on further before saying that he would let the public decide.

Lucie received the fewest votes and left the show.

If it is a talent show then Cowell should have sent home John & Edward, who without a doubt have been the worst performers in the series. They should never have been allowed to through to the live finals, which is another reason that makes you realise that the show isn't based on talent, but about ratings and hooking in the viewers so that they will vote in their millions and fill the producers' coffers.

No one really minds the fact that so much is being made from the voting system, but when decisions are made that clearly have nothing to do with the apparent aims of the show (to find the best talent) then there is something very wrong.

Whilst there was a lot to admire about Simon Cowell, his decision not to send home the weakest act undermines his credibilty. But Cowell doesn't worry about public opinion and by keeping the jokers in the show it is probably going to result in more people voting for their preferred acts. I imagine next week's show will achieve record numbers of voters.

The conclusion we draw is that such shows are simply vehicles to make money whilst the public is duped into thinking that they are watching a show that is actually interested in identifying the stars of the future, which it clearly is not.