Cowell bans auto-tuning on X Factor ‘so people can trust us’

Simon Cowell has banned auto-tuning on The X Factor following claims that contestants' voices were tweaked on the opening show of the ITV1 series.

Viewers complained they thought some of the singing had been digitally manipulated last Saturday, and X Factor bosses admitted post-production editing had taken place.

Cowell now wants the practice stopped. He said: "People have got to be able to trust The X Factor. We are not faking anything. People love this show, millions watch it every week and we absolutely respect that, we never take it for granted."

He is said to have scrapped the episode due to be broadcast tomorrow at 7.30pm, replacing it with one that was to be aired later in the series.

Meanwhile, producers believe they may have found the next Susan Boyle after a shop worker moved judge Cheryl Cole to tears.

Mary Byrne, 45, who auditioned in Dublin, will be on tomorrow's show singing Shirley Bassey's I Who Have Nothing.

Cole told her she was amazed by her "incredible power and emotion".