Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cowell "torture"

09 January 2009

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Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber has accused Simon Cowell of "torture".

The music legend blasted 'The X Factor' judge for his treatment of contestants, insisting he has a much better relationship with acts competing on his talent show 'Your Country Needs You'.

Andrew - whose programme will find a UK representative for the Eurovision Song Contest - said: "We nurture, we don't torture. I am here to support and get the best out of everyone. We look at how they can all take their career beyond the show.

We have a live band and we have performers who will deliver live to the best of their ability

"Simon just doesn't work with artists the way I do. I spend a lot of time with the artists working on what they need. They know they can call me up day or night - and they do. All my acts call me Andrew."

'Your Country Needs You' features six acts - the Gleadall twins, Damien Flood, Charlotte Finlay-Tribe, Emperors Of Soul, Mark Evans and Jade Ewen - who will compete against each other in a weekly live show, with the public deciding who should go through to the next round.

In another swipe at 'The X Factor', Andrew promised he will not use "tricks" to help artists make it through each stage of the show.

He added: "There will be no tricks on this show. We have a live band and we have performers who will deliver live to the best of their ability. We don't have off-stage backing singers who come in and maybe trace harmonies."

'Your Country Needs You', presented by Graham Norton, begins on BBC1 tomorrow night (10.01.09).

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