Despite being actual autumn/winter telly GOALS, The X Factor gets a fair bit of flack in the press. Whether it's those incessant 'fix' claims or Strictly Come Dancing ratings wars, the show can never quite catch a break.
And the latest scandal to rock Simon Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger, Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne involves a certain Simon Gross aka the infamous Mr. Showbiz.
Mr. Showbiz briefly appeared on Big Brother back in 2015 (remember?); andfollowing his audition on The X Factor he's claimed contestants are treated 'like animals' behind the scenes.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about The X Factor 2017
Speaking to the Daily Star, Simon spilled: "I was waiting for 12 hours to audition and I didn't eat anything or drink anything and you're in a hot room all day.
"I felt like I was being treated like an animal."
Simon even hit out at the judges themselves, adding: "They get what they want and then you're forgotten about."
Show bosses, however, denied Simon's claims and assured the paper the show's audition process is legit. A rep said: "We work hard to ensure all contestants needs are met and kept as comfortable as possible during all stages of filming.
"Contestants are welcome to take breaks and leave the holding room in between filming as well as being provided with water and being made aware as to where food is available."
Bloody hell.
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