Simon Cowell rubbishes X Factor 'Uptown Funk' controversy and slams Lily Allen

Simon Cowell has denied there was foul play on show when Fleur East performed 'Uptown Funk' on the X Factor this weekend.

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The contestant ran through the then-unreleased Mark Ronson song and her performance instantly reached No.1 on iTunes.

Ronson - whose label Columbia is linked to Cowell's Syco parent company Sony - then rush-released 'Uptown Funk' and it is set to hit No.1 this weekend.

Cowell told reporters on Wednesday (December 10) that having East perform the tune wasn't a sly ploy between Sony and Syco to raise the track's profile.

He said: "The other one is nothing to do with me. I mean it's part Sony, but there was all the nonsense about what was it called? [Industry corruption?] I mean give me a break."

Lily Allen criticised the move on Twitter, but Cowell added to the Mirror that she is in no place to judge.

He said: "Lily should stop bleating on about all this. Fleur needed this break, got a chance, she totally killed it. Why not be happy for another artist and say congratulations instead of thinking of some stupid conspiracy theory.

“The irony is I spoke to Lily about being a judge. And from what I took from the meeting, she was seriously considering it. Thank God I said no. She’d be a barrel of laughs."

Watch Fleur East and Ronson's versions below: