"Move on", says Rhydian's mum
Thursday, 20 Dec 2007 09:23
Mum of X Factor runner-up Rhydian urges fans to "move on" after his surprise loss.
The mother of X Factor runner-up Rhydian Roberts has urged her son's fans to "move on" after his surprise loss in last weekend's final.
The theatrical singer had been the bookies' favourite to win this year's series, only for Scottish crooner Leon Jackson to take the title and a £1 million recording contract last Saturday night.
And media watchdog Ofcom has confirmed it will investigate claims that fans were prevented from voting for Rhydian, after more than 1,100 viewers said they had been unable to vote for the Welsh tenor.
But Angela Roberts has said the family wants to concentrate on Rhydian's career prospects rather than speculating about the legitimacy of Leon's win.
Talking to the South Wales Echo, she said: "We are just asking the nation to let it go and move on. The competition is over.
"We give our very best to Leon as a family and look forward to Rhydian's own career developing as it should."
Mrs Roberts, 56, also denied reports that her husband Malcolm had said the ITV1 talent show was fixed.
"He never said that and it's all very upsetting. We just want to draw a line under it," she said.
Wales' first minister Rhodri Morgan has revealed that he struggled to vote for Rhydian during the final.
He said: "I can confirm at 22:29pm on Saturday I attempted to vote for Rhydian and I couldn't get through. I didn't hear him sing, but I thought as a loyal Welsh person I should vote for him, but I couldn't register my vote so my telephone bill will be smaller."
ITV1 issued a statement earlier this week saying there were "no irregularities" with the telephone voting and that "Leon won the X Factor fair and square".
Leon is widely predicted to score this year's Christmas number one single, with retailers estimating his cover of the 1998 Mariah Carey/Whitney Houston duet When You Believe could sell 350,000 copies this week.