Gary Barlow claims 'The X Factor' producers created false drama for a ratings boost.
Gary Barlow
The former judge on the talent show - who appeared on the programme for two years until he quit in 2013 - has opened up on his experiences behind the scenes, and alleges some of the production staff who worked on the show at the time tried to manipulate what was happening on screen.
According to Mirror Online, in an extract from his autobiography 'A Better Me', he wrote: "About half an hour before the show goes live, the producers would come in and they'd go, 'Oh my God. That Misha. She's a bully. Can't believe it. She is such a bully. In fact, you know what? You should say it. You should say it on air. She's bullied everyone all week.' "
Gary also admitted he once wondered if his 'X Factor' dressing room was "bugged", because of the stories that seemed to be leaked to the media.
He wrote: "We developed a bad case of showbiz paranoia. Was the dressing room bugged? They always seemed to know what was being talked about behind closed doors, and eaten, too. What ever happened in that building always found its way to the press."
What's more, he was wary about taking on the judging role after consulting his showbiz pals.
He said: "I've got a very healthy address book of TV professionals and I set about ringing every single one of them.
"The X Factor. What's it all about? To the last, they all said the same thing: 'The only thing anyone cares about in that building is The X Factor.
"They won't mind throwing you under the bus, using you to get a headline, feeding you a line that will end your career, as long as The X Factor gets a mention'."
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