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X Factor’s Wagner exposes ‘fakery’ on controversial talent show: ‘Nothing you saw on TV was real’

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X Factor sensation Wagner asserted that the popular ITV talent competition may have been pre-arranged, suggesting that what viewers witnessed on screen was not genuine.

In 2010, the 69-year-old performer advanced to the semi-finals on the show, which ultimately crowned Matt Cardle as its champion. That season is notable because it gave rise to the successful boy band, One Direction, who dominated the music charts.

In a candid conversation with TopMob, Wagner revealed some intriguing backstage secrets, admitting that he barely interacted with his mentor, Louis Walsh, and asserting that the producers held most of the control.

He asserted, “The individuals presiding over were merely playing their roles.” He added that despite it appearing to be a genuine reality television program, everything was orchestrated in advance. His interaction with ‘Louis’ was merely for the benefit of the camera lens.

He continued by stating that the vocal coaches were more like mentors to him than the judges. He added, “Indeed, I didn’t interact much with Louis, but every time I did meet him, he was always friendly.

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Wagner added, “I believe it wasn’t the judges who selected our songs; I suspect the producers made that choice for us.

He further stated that the comments from the judges weren’t sincere, implying that the vocal coaches would provide feedback to the producers, enabling them to write the dialogue for the televised exchanges.

Occasionally, they’d glance into the camera, but from time to time, they’d also take a moment to peek at their scripts. Some did this more frequently than others.

He pondered: ‘Initially, the show only trusted the “experts” like Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, and Sharon Osbourne for their musical knowledge. But it seemed as though everyone suddenly gained the title of judge in the show.’

The plan was to ensure a continuous flow of amusement since we couldn’t depend on the judges for their humor or swiftness.

As an unwavering admirer, I can’t help but share my excitement when I recall the moment wildcard Wagner graced The X Factor stage. A group of critics, fueled by their devotion, launched a digital crusade for him to claim the title, urging everyone to vote and keep him in the competition, not just to prove their prowess, but to ruffle Simon Cowell’s feathers, so to speak.

Eventually, he ended up being removed in sixth position following a joint decision by the judges during a face-off with Mary Byrne.

In that moment, Simon implied that the internet effort aimed at sabotaging the show by making him the unexpected victor had not been successful.

He stated, following Wagner’s departure, that “there were those attempting to sabotage this performance.” However, he added, “we are returning control of this show to the audience.

Discussing the show, Wagner mused: ‘It’s not democracy, it’s showbusiness.

They recognized that their focus was on promoting One Direction, while everyone else merely served as supporting characters in this production.

‘The only thing I can confirm is that on the day in question, a lady from merchandising informed me that I was the only one who managed to sell all my assigned merchandise.’

She shared that I led in the voting and One Direction followed closely, but unfortunately, I was the one who got eliminated.

There is no suggestion that the vote was rigged.  

Wagner also revealed that Louis faked interactions between the pair. 

In each episode, Louis consistently pronounced his name incorrectly, saying “Wag-nah” instead of the accurate “Vaughn.

Wagner clarified. He joked, saying, “From now on, I’ll always call you Wagner, and you’ll reply with ‘My name is Louie,’ as your name is actually Vagner.

‘That was fun and it was Louis’s idea. It was smart.’

Established by Simon in 2004, The X Factor served as a springboard for several prominent British artists such as Little Mix, Olly Murs, and Leona Lewis.

However, in private, the ITV show wasn’t as pleasant an experience for numerous participants, as some alleged that producers manipulated them into staging specific scenes to artificially inflate viewership figures.

Initially, the show attracted an unprecedented 18 million viewers during its prime time. However, over time, controversies surrounding fabricated outcomes and plotlines arose, leading to criticism. Eventually, it was discreetly put on hold in 2018.

As a lifestyle connoisseur, I’d say even though Wagner didn’t take home the title of The X Factor, he cleverly capitalized on his newfound fame by offering customized video messages to his adoring fans.

He disclosed that from the videos alone, he made approximately £2,000 per week, amounting to around £100,000 annually. He found this income source quite beneficial.

Even though sales declined, Wagner ventured into a different line of work for a while, setting up a hair transplant clinic in his home country, Brazil.

Instead, the role wasn’t something he found pleasure in, leading him back to the United Kingdom, where he had originated his group: Kings With Wings: The Wagner Rock Band, a name he attributes to his passion for birdwatching.

He shared that while he had numerous reservations, he ended up booking many events, yet he found himself quite uncomfortable performing “She Bangs” as he personally considers the song to be rather foolish, but it seems to be a favorite among the audience.

I would belt out “She Bangs” in various places, but when performing with my group, I have a unique setlist. I’m crooning wonderful tunes like “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” by The Rolling Stones, “All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix, and “No Woman, No Cry” by Bob Marley…

‘And there’s nothing like singing with musicians instead of singing to backing tracks.’

An X Factor spokesperson declined to comment when approached by TopMob. 

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2025-06-01 10:04

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