Sir Elton lashes out at X Factor

Singer Sir Elton John has expressed his disdain for reality TV show X Factor in typically forthright language.

Sir Elton, who is one of the best-selling artists of all time, told an audience at London’s O2 Arena that he would rather have his “c**k bitten off by an Alsatian” than watch the televised talent show.

“My balls too,” he added.

Sir Elton is due to perform at a New Year’s Eve concert in London alongside this year’s X Factor winner, Alexandra Burke.

The singer and his partner David Furnish were among a list of donors to the Liberal Democrats published last month by the Electoral Commission.

The party raised just under £600,000 overall in the third quarter of 2008.

Sir Elton and Mr Furnish donated £10,495 each.

The gay couple backed Brian Paddick, the Lib Dem candidate for Mayor of London, earlier in the year.

Mr Paddick, until last year a deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan police and the highest-ranking out gay officer in the country, went on to star in another reality ITV show, I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!

He came seventh, leaving after 17 days in the jungle camp.

It has been a bad couple of weeks for Sir Elton – he lost a defamation case against The Guardian newspaper and was lampooned on Channel 4 comedy Star Stories.