December 27, 2007 18:28

Blur's Damon Albarn calls for the end of 'The X Factor'

Singer wants celebrity culture 'dismantled'

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Blur frontman Damon Albarn has called for the end of The X Factor.

The singer has also spoken out against celebrity culture.

Speaking as he guest edited BBC Radio 4's 'Today Programme', he said that celebrity culture should be “dismantled” and said it “sends out the wrong messages”.

He continued: "I think it's creating a mindset that suggests you can get something for nothing and that it's easy to acquire status and fame. It should be one of the hardest things to do."

Albarn was reporting from Mali on the African country's attitude towards waste, where everything of value is recycled, reused and remade.

"At some point in the very near future we are going to have to change our value system so dramatically, and what we deem as important and what we throw away," he explained. "We need to dismantle very significant parts of our culture and really re-examine them. I suppose you start with the celebrity thing."

He added: "There's just so many things I would alter. I think for a start you have to get rid of things like 'The X Factor' immediately."

He also said he wanted to "get rid of 99 per-cent of the media".