Sharon Osbourne claims ‘everyone’s a hypocrite’ as she issues brutal takedown of ‘harmful’ X Factor style shows

Sharon Osbourne claims ‘everyone’s a hypocrite’ as she issues brutal takedown of ‘harmful’ X Factor style shows

Simon Cowell congratulates One Direction and Lucy Spraggan after X Factor success

Lauren Williams

By Lauren Williams


Published: 25/02/2024

- 16:56

Sharon Osbourne was a judge and mentor on UK talent show The X Factor from 2004 to 2017 respectively

Sharon Osbourne has expressed her dislike for talent shows such as The X Factor and admitted how “harmful” she feels they can be – despite being part of one for over 10 years.

Osbourne made a name for herself on the UK singing competition for being argumentative with her co-star Louis Walsh and being brutally honest with those who applied.


Back in December 2018, ITV released a statement where they revealed that they had “no current plans” for a new series of the talent show.

The 71-year-old wife of rock star Ozzy Osbourne recently admitted she felt that the young contestants were often “brushed aside” after a brief stint in the spotlight.

She explained: “I was a judge on X Factor for years, but I’d never do a talent show again. It’s not right to put kids through that pressure. That’s particularly true of reality-based shows.

"Young people aren’t mentally prepared for what’s going to happen to them. When they fall by the wayside, they get brushed aside."

X Factor judges

Sharon was a judge on the show from 2004 to 2017 - respectively

ITV

She said that "everyone" in the entertainment industry was a "hypocrite" and added: "In the entertainment industry everyone’s a hypocrite, everybody’s a jobs worth.

“If Hitler were alive today, they would give him a TV show,” the Daily Star reported.

It seems that Osbourne isn’t the only one who has looked back on their time on the show with some negativity.

Head judge and music mogul Simon Cowell admitted that he’d rather “jump off a cliff” than going back on a show like The X Factor.

Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell also spoke out about being involved with the show

ITV

He told The Sun back in October 2022: “If X Factor doesn’t come back, I won’t be looking for other shows to appear on. I don’t want to be just a TV personality.

“The idea of The X Factor not being on so I go on a game show . . . I think I’d jump off a cliff. I genuinely can’t think of anything worse.”

“If you were to ask me now which is more important, my career or my family, then I’d say family, 100 per cent.

“But when you talk about legacy, you want to believe what you’ve done has been worth it, that’s important too.”

Sharon Osbourne

Sharon Osbourne has spoke out on her time on the show

ITV

Ratings of the show in the late noughties were some of the highest across all of British television with the series regularly pulling in more than 10 million viewers, however, in recent years numbers began to decline.

The talent show has found numerous acts that have gone on to have success such a One Direction, Little Mix, Olly Murs, Leona Lewis, JLS and Rylan Clark-Neal to name a few have carved out strong resumes post appearing on the programme.

You may like