Gordon Brown wrote fan letters to X Factor contestants

Gordon Brown has emerged as a secret X Factor fan after writing personal letters to contestants from the television series.

The Prime Minister took a break from dealing with the worst economic crisis to hit the country for a generation earlier this month to offer them his reflections on their performances on the ITV talent show.

In the good-luck notes, Mr Brown disclosed a close knowledge of by the programme's developments. He told Ruth Lorenzo, a 25-year-old contestant, that he disagreed with the judgment of Simon Cowell, one of the programme's judges, that for her to sing in her native Spanish would be "disrespectful".



However, he reserved special praise for Daniel Evans, a 38-year-old swimming pool cleaner who received robust criticism from the programme's judges, including Cowell. Cowell told Evans, a single father whose wife died in childbirth, that his music was only liked by pensioners.

In his letter to Evans, Mr Brown wrote: "On a personal note, can I say that the next time Simon says that you are only supported by the over-60s you can tell him that my wife Sarah and I disagree, although you would be better off mentioning Sarah rather than me as she is much further away from 60 than I am!"

He added: "Whatever the final outcome, yours is one of the great stories of this year's competition, and I know you will go on to great success in the future." Evans was voted off the show two weeks later.