The Diary: Cowell taking dim view of killer's X Factor debut

Simon Cowell created The X Factor. Photo / Supplied

Exclusive:

Television mogul Simon Cowell - whose company Syco Entertainment created

The X Factor

reality format - had no knowledge MediaWorks had used convicted killer Shae Brider on

The X Factor NZ

and is taking the matter "very seriously", his representative told

The Diary

yesterday.

The Diary has learned a clause in the contract held by Syco Entertainment and FremantleMedia, owners of the format, stipulates the show can't be brought into disrepute in accordance with the third-party license agreement.

It's understood that special dispensation would have needed to be sought to use Brider, and MediaWorks failed to get permission. A representative for Cowell said he had no knowledge a convicted killer was to appear on the show.

The Diary contacted Ann-Marie Thomson, Syco's global head of media, Ben Todd, Syco UK's head of media, and Ian Hogg, chief executive of FremantleMedia Australia - which co-produces The X Factor NZ with MediaWorks - for comment.

A spokeswoman for FremantleMedia and Syco told The Diary yesterday: "We have latterly been made aware of the situation and take this matter very seriously.

"We are currently looking into it with the local producer, MediaWorks."

Brider was sentenced to eight and a half years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of 16-year-old Jeremy Frew.

Brider has made it through to boot camp auditions.

He says he's not asking for mercy but wants to move on with his life.

However, his victim's mother, Donna Travers, is furious with producers of the show and says they should have ensured the full facts of the crime were disclosed to audiences.

MediaWorks must front up to Ms Travers, Syco Entertainment and FremantleMedia, she says.

Yesterday, MediaWorks said the show would include an apology to the family this weekend. Earlier, MediaWorks would not answer The Diary's questions about whether a contractual clause had been breached, but issued the following statement.

"Shae Brider disclosed his criminal record when he entered The X Factor NZ and as a standard part of the process a police check was run ... The X Factor NZ acknowledges the impact Shae's past actions have had on his victims, and apologises for any distress that has been caused.

"However it is important to note the NZ justice system judges Shae has paid his debt to society, and now has a second chance to make a positive contribution."

Will that satisfy the owners of The X Factor franchise?

Cowell knows the value of redemption stories, and his reality shows are no strangers to pulling on emotional heartstrings.

But in my view, so long as the family of the teenage victim continue to voice their displeasure about Brider's involvement on the show, and the handling by TV3 producers, he won't be happy.

MediaWorks may well get a big ticking off, but whether that will result in a contractual penalty breach is unclear at this stage.

The second series has received $800,000 in taxpayer funding from NZ On Air for 41 episodes.

McDonald's is the broadcast sponsor and secondary programme partners include Fruttare, 2degrees, VO5, Mazda and SkyCity Auckland.

Eight questions of the week

1.

It's only a kids' programme, but did news anchor Simon Dallow drop his competitive spirit while doing a hot lap on

The 4.30 Show

? Eyes squinted, lips pursed, Dallow the Daredevil had his game face on the moment he got into the car, an insider narked. Someone tell him it's not

Top Gear

!

Simon Dallow (with stunt instructor Peter Bell) forgot his lighthearted spirit.

2.

Hollywood star Vanessa Hudgens flew in for a secret visit to see her boyfriend Austin Butler, who is shooting

The Shannara Chronicles

in West Auckland. She made time this week for a hike in the Waitakere Ranges and a swim at Bethells Beach in a nude bikini. Did locals even know there was a starlet in their midst?

Hollywood star Vanessa Hudgens at Bethells beach.

3. Which prominent TV star and media boss are too close for comfort, if you catch my drift?

4.

Is Art Green really looking for love? How is it that TV3's new

The Bachelor

star is actually single?

Art Green surely is not single.

5. The Croatian star of TV One's Our First Home, Goran Paladin, 34, is single too. Surely TVNZ can leverage his eligibility into some publicity and drum up ratings.

6. With his 80th birthday approaching and a major retrospective of his work at Auckland Art Gallery, artist Billy Apple (formerly Barrie Bates) and Saatchis have launched two Billy Apple-branded ciders (apple cider, geddit?). Will they sell well or is it just another marketing gimmick?

7. Mark Hammett left Cardiff Blues just six months into a three-year contract, but did his players only learn about his departure via online media reports and just before they took to the field against Treviso last Friday? Is it any wonder the Welsh team suffered a humiliating defeat against the Italians?

8. Former English cricketer Adam Hollioake, who is set to box Monty Betham in the ring, has earned the Twitter support of Piers Morgan and Ian Botham. "I just need a tweet off the Queen now to really put the icing on the cake," he told The Diary this week. Her Maj, like the rest of Blighty, will be watching all English sports stars in New Zealand with trepidation, eh?