Jennifer Hudson's American Idol Nightmare  2/2/07

Former American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson has hit out at the US talent show, branding her experience on the program "abusive".

The Dreamgirls star - who is due to sing Best Song nominee Love You I Do at the Academy Awards later this month (25FEB07) - appeared on the show in 2002, but lost out in the final stages of the competition to eventual winner Fantasia Barrino.

And she insists the American Idol judge's harsh criticisms left her emotionally bruised, but eventually they just made her more determined to succeed.

She says, "On American Idol, you go through this mental thing; you've got to get yourself back together. You've been abused, misled and brainwashed to believe whatever they want you to think.

"You become a character - I became the girl in the turkey wrapping. I just knew I had to sing my way out of it. I don't believe in looking back, and I didn't look back."