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LONDON: Pop mogul Simon Cowell has called in police over Internet allegations that his firm groomed a contestant on “Britain's Got Talent” and that the popular TV show is therefore fixed, police said Friday.
Cowell's lawyers made the complaint to officers after an anonymous blogger alleged that Ronan Parke, the 12-year-old favourite to win Saturday's final, had been secretly advised by his company for two years.
The blogger claimed Parke already has a management deal with Cowell's company Syco and had received guidance on his hairstyle, clothing and mannerisms.
London police have yet to decide if they will take action over the complaint.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “An allegation of malicious communications was made to Kensington and Chelsea police on Thursday June 2.
“The allegation is being considered.”The schoolboy, who bears a passing resemblance to teenage heartthrob singer Justin Bieber, won the viewers' vote on Monday, putting him straight through to the Saturday final.
Syco and Sony Music said they would take legal action to “prevent further publication of these unfounded allegations”.
Syco said in a statement: “There has been speculation on the Internet that Britain's Got Talent finalist Ronan Parke was known to and worked with Syco/Sony Music before entering the show. There is no truth in this story whatsoever… Ronan first came to Syco/Sony's attention when he entered this year's competition.”
Parke's mother Maggie also dismissed claims that he was auditioned by talent scouts after being spotted performing at a birthday party for a friend of his parents.
“It's laughable, to be perfectly honest with you, and it couldn't be further from the truth,” she told BBC radio. “There's no foundation in it whatsoever.”
Cowell has endured a turbulent few weeks after British pop star Cheryl Cole was dropped from the judging panel of the US version of another of his shows, “The X Factor”, reportedly because American audiences could not understand her accent.
