I’m not sure what the viewing figures are for the popular Saturday evening talent show, the X-factor, I just know that they are huge. I am amongst them and in a very selfish way, make anyone I am with watch it too, whether they want to or not!

When the Daily Mail rang last night for a comment regarding one of the judges, my heart sank.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2020957/X-Factor-Tulisa-I-stole-bags-took-drugs-lost-virginity-aged-14.html

We live in a society which suffers from a poverty of aspiration.  Teenagers are low on hope.

The X-Factor inspires and presents a window of opportunity for many young people. It opens doors. This programme has massive influence.

As the article states, this year, one of the judges is Tulisa, who in an interview yesterday with the Sunday Times, spoke about how she has stolen handbags, dressed provocatively at aged nine, lost her virginity at fifteen, took drugs, punched people in the face, and on it goes. A litany of a lost childhood.

Tulisa, now aged 23 will act as a mentor to a large number of teenagers on X-factor.

This is so wrong.

And for anyone who is even getting near to thinking it’s ok, because she has turned her life around and what she is doing is showing teenagers that it’s ok to behave badly, because they can turn it around too, let’s get real shall we?

Tulisa, is the exception to the rule. One in a million. For the majority of young girls who punch people in the face, they end up in prison or a youth offender’s institution and have to deal with all the new destructive problems that presents.

For every nine year old who dresses in a sexually provocative way, the effect could be very different indeed.

Because the X-factor makes its fame and fortune on the back of very young people it should wake up and realise the duty of care and responsibility it carries towards all young people.

X-Factor is an institution and as a result it can no longer behave as it wishes without receiving criticism.

Find judges who can inspire young people. Mentors they can look up to and learn from. Judges you can be proud of and who we know can be trusted to mentor young people in a positive way. Instead of putting bad behaviour on show, demonstrate how people who behave well can triumph too.

You owe the young people of Britain from who you earn your vast fortune that much at the very least.