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X Factor team deny hopeful faced exit over family claims

27/08/2008

The X Factor production team have denied newspaper reports that a contestant was nearly kicked off the show over claims he had lied to the judges.

Alan Turner, 23, was seen on Saturday's show telling Simon Cowell and company that he did not know his real family and hoped to progress to the next round to prove himself.

But the Daily Mirror newspaper reported on Tuesday that Turner had been brought up by his grandmother, rather than a foster family, and had regularly spoken to his real father on the telephone.

The tabloid also claimed that Turner admitted to concealing the truth about his family due to "the emotion of the audition" and had pleaded with producers to allow him to remain on the show.

In response, an X Factor spokeswoman has said the show and Turner "refute all claims made" and added that the aspiring singer's place on the ITV1 show was "never in jeopardy".

Viewers saw the call centre worker tell the judging panel: "I'm hopefully going to win The X Factor to prove to my real family that I'm not a waste of space and to prove [myself] to my foster parent and make her proud of me."

He claimed he had been allocated a foster family at the age of four and had "always wanted to get to know my real family".

"I know it sounds a bit corny but I just want a real family, just to know my real mum and my real dad and for them just to say 'we love you no matter what'," he added.

In a statement following the Mirror report, the X Factor spokeswoman said: "Alan categorically denies that he has made up any story regarding his upbringing and refutes the claims which have been made.

"Alan has at no point apologised to producers and his position in the show has never been in jeopardy."

She explained that relating the "very complicated story" of his family life had caused confusion and "doubt has been raised about Alan's relationship with his biological parents, which is unfortunate".

However, the newspaper's claims look to have some validity, with Turner's father Alan senior telling BBC News he knew his son "inside out".

"When he came out with a statement that he was put into foster care at the age of four, he didn't know who we were, I just found the whole thing absolutely bizarre," he added.

"I just didn't know where the lad was coming from. We always kept in touch."