Exclusive
enough is enough
I was stitched up on Britain’s Got Talent – I was just a pawn in The Greatest Showman fix row
THE Scots singer embroiled in the latest Britain’s Got Talent ‘fix’ row says he feels like he’s been stitched up.
Ferdinand Rennie, 62, revealed he endured a 10-hour stint in a waiting room only to be rushed onto the stage, deal with sound issues and be told by Simon Cowell that he “murdered” his favourite song.
2
2
The musician, originally from Austria, had asked producers if he could perform his ballad version of The Greatest Showman hit Never Enough.
However, he was convinced to sing his dance version with no prior knowledge that professional singer Loren Allred, who actually recorded the vocals for the movie soundtrack, would be on stage immediately after him in the show edit.
While the audience and judges David Walliams and Amanda Holden loved Ferdinand’s cover version, Simon hated it and said that his favourite song had been ruined.
However Loren, 32, from New York, received the golden buzzer and sailed through the next round despite fix claims from fans of the show due to her successful career - moving from being a contestant on The Voice in 2010 to releasing an EP and duetting with legends Michael Buble and Andrea Bocelli.
Ferdinand says: “The sound was a nightmare for me on stage.
“I don’t want to sound bitter but I just heard the music coming back from the audience which for an artist is your worst nightmare.
“It felt like I was 100 metres away from the music so it was hard for my professional ear.
“Especially when I heard Loren after me on the TV edit, she had the filters and the sound was totally different to mine and so was the whole package
Most read in Reality
“On the audition day, I was invited to be there at 11am and they made me wait all day.
“I was the final one on stage so they picked me up at 9pm from the waiting room and drove me to The Palladium.
“There was no time for sound check, I was taken straight on stage and so you try to give your best.
“In the end it was just a rush and I couldn’t even enjoy the moment on the beautiful palladium stage.
“I understand other people are dealing with the same and sounded much better so I have the feeling everything was stitched up for me - stitched up to make Loren look better.”
The sound was a nightmare for me on stage
Ferdinand Rennie
Ferdinand also doesn’t believe that the judges didn’t know who Loren was or that she was due to appear.
“I still don’t understand why it is that Loren goes on a talent show singing this song - she doesn't need to.
“Everyone knows her. She was singing with Michael Buble. She gave Rebecca Ferguson a fantastic singing voice and sold millions of copies.
“It would have been nice to have her as a guest star singing maybe but we know they need a story and I’ve been a part of it.”
Ferdinand also let’s slip that judges Simon and David had a spat during his time on the stage.
And unfortunately this meant he couldn’t finish his second song despite being asked to perform again in scenes that weren’t aired on telly.
He explains: “ Something negative was going on with the judges - there was a very strange atmosphere - some tension between Simon and the other judges.
“Something happened and Simon was so upset. He told me I was likeable and what you didn't see on TV was that he actually got up and walked out.
“Then the audience were shouting "more more" and screamed change the song - change the song.”
“There were three judges still there and then they immediately started my next song.
“You have one in reserve just in case they were to ask for a different song.
“But I couldn’t go further - Amanda stopped me before I got to the chorus as Simon had still not returned.
“Simon wasn’t there at the judging desk anymore as he had left which I felt was very rude.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“He never even gave me a chance - to just leave the judging desk while I was still on stage was really offensive.”
We pay for your stories and videos! Do you have a story or video for The Scottish Sun? Email us at [email protected] or call 0141 420 5300
Topics