Simon Cowell Angry After X Factor Viewers Down £200K  3/1/07

Music mogul Simon Cowell is furious after a voting error on British TV talent show The X Factor resulted in viewers being overcharged £200,000 ($390,000).

Fans voting for their favorite singing act were overcharged by 15 pence (29

cent) every time they pressed the red selection button on their television remote controls.

UK network ITV1 discovered the error during a standard check and has vowed to donate the £200,000 to charity ChildLine.

A spokesman for ITV1 says, "We regret a mistake was made in the red button payment systems during The X Factor, and we apologize.

"ITV operates a robust audit system which closely monitors interactive revenues and this system picked up the incorrect pricing."

Sharon Osbourne and Irish boy band impresario Louis Walsh judge The X Factor alongside Cowell.