December 18, 2007 10:06

Watchdog looking into 'X Factor' vote

Viewers complain they couldn’t vote for favourite in TV contest

The vote for the grand final of 'X Factor' this weekend (December 15) is being investigated after fans have complained they could not vote for their preferred choice.

Favourite Rhydian Roberts was pipped to the 2007 title by Leon Jackson, however television watchdog Ofcom has said it has been contacted by 80 viewers questioning the vote, and BBC News reports that some fans claim they tried to vote up to ten times but were unsuccessful.

"If you ring ten times you expect to get through - I was very cross," said one viewer, Gwyneth Greenslade from Powys. "A lot of other people in this area said they couldn't get through. It seems to be very unfair."

Radio stations in Wales where Roberts is from are now demanding a recount and say they will boycott Jackson's winning single.

Talkback Thames, the production company behind X Factor, said that some viewers may have got the engaged tone when trying to vote, but this was due to the volume of calls and not part of a conspiracy.

"As all numbers go through to the same lines and vote platform, it is impossible for there to be any bias in favour or against a particular contestant," a spokeswoman told BBC News. "Phone lines were monitored throughout the night and there were no issues on voting lines.

"We do get a huge surge of calls and depending on phone operators some callers may have experienced an engaged tone or network busy message and therefore may have to call back, but these calls should not be charged.”