Pensioner Joy Philippou returned from TV singing competition X Factor in floods of tears. She speaks to reporter JON CHEETHAM about life at boot camp.



WHEN 79-year-old singer Joy Philippou took part in the X Factor auditions in Manchester in June she wowed the judges with her impersonations of Maria Callas and Edith Piaf.

Dr Philippou, of Denbridge Road, Bickley, who used to lecture in philosophy at Sussex University, Brighton, has enjoyed singing and dancing her whole life.

Judges Simon Cowell, Sharon Osborne, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue were so impressed with her talents they chose her from thousands of other hopefuls to go through to the next stage of the competition - a boot camp in Oxfordshire.

But Dr Philippou said the boot camp held at Haythrop Park Hotel, Enstone, Oxfordshire, was like a concentration camp'.

Dr Philippou, who is president of Body, Mind and Soul International, a society dedicated to promoting holistic health and well- being, said she was made to stand outside with 200 singers for four hours when she arrived on a Sunday night.

The author of 16 self-help philosophy books said: "When we arrived we were made to stand outside while it got cold.

"We were without any of our belongings or anything to eat or drink."

The waiting continued the following morning.

She added: "After breakfast we were herded into the garden and stood in lines waiting for Simon Cowell to appear on the balcony.

"We waited for three-and-a-half-hours with the sun beating down before he appeared.

"If we got out of line, prefects in black shirts told us to get back into our positions.

"There was no talking allowed. It was really scary."

She added: "A lady behind me, aged 54, had her leg in plaster and was on crutches, but she wasn't allowed to sit down.

"I wanted to go home but out there in the middle of nowhere, there was not a bus in sight, no shops and no way of escape."

In the afternoon, Dr Philippou was made to wait inside with 75 other entrants in the over-25 competition, sitting in silence, without being allowed to leave the room.

Dr Philippou said she was told twice by prefects she could not go to the toilet during her six-hour wait to see the judges.

The singer, who uses her voice to imitate musical instruments, said: "When I finished my audition I asked if it is supposed to feel like a concentration camp?

"I was told it is an endurance test, but I'm almost 80 years old.

"They should have told me before I went there what it would be like."

She added: "It wasn't just physical cruelty and suffering, there was rage and despondency too.

"I just don't think money should allow a person to do things like that to people and get away with it."

Dr Philippou, who is also a doctor of psychology, described Simon Cowell as a "sadistic psychopath".

RESPONSE TO COMPLAINT

The X Factor, which is screened on ITV, is now in its fourth series.

It is made by production company Talkback Thames.

A spokesman for the company said: "I'm sorry Joy didn't have a good time, but we provide all the facilities we can to make sure people enjoy it.

"The reason they were asked to be silent is because they were in the room next door to the contestants.

"This is the first complaint we have ever had."

She added: "It is a tremendous opportunity - this is the X Factor.

"If you come to do a TV show these are the conditions you have to put up with.

"People turn up for filming on the day and think these shows take an hour to record."

  • The latest series will start on Saturday.