Heather Mills McCartney Skeptical Over The X Factor  12/21/05

Sir Paul McCartney's wife Heather Mills McCartney has accused music moguls Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne of exploiting wannabe singers in their role on British TV talent contest The X Factor. 

The animal rights campaigner claims the pair, who act as judges and mentors on the hit show alongside Westlife manager Louis Walsh, manipulate their charges for financial gain. 

She says, "I don't really agree with all that. Exploiting people. They (contestants) get dropped and not looked after and taken on a roller coaster. It's not my kind of thing." Mills McCartney, who is supporting a new charity song which pays tribute to late soccer star George Best and will raise money for an organ donor charity, also urges the show's fans not to boost X Factor judges' bank balances by buying winner Shayne Ward's single, which is tipped to be the UK's Christmas number one. 

She says, "I don't expect (Best tribute) My Brilliant Feat to compete with Shayne from The X Factor but I do encourage people to download a charity record rather than one which will just make The X Factor team even richer. It could help save thousands of lives."