Talent show bosses spotted me on stage .. and promised to fast-track me to TV finals without facing the judges
Katee Kross said she was scouted last year after being spotted on stage at Wembley with blues star Seasick Steve. But the 20- year- old knocked back the chance to star on music mogul Simon Cowell’s X Factor contest. She rejected a similar request from producers to sing on BGT. Both ITV1 shows have been dogged by f ixing claims in recent years. Katee, of Bishopbriggs, near Glasgow, said: “Both Britain’s Got Talent and X Factor got in touch with me. “For a few months they were emailing me and trying to get me to go to auditions. “It was the ones just for producers before you go on stage in front of the judges. “When I didn’t go to any of them, they got back in touch and said they would fast-track me and I would go straight to the televised round. “It meant I wouldn’t have to go through the whole process like many others do. In a way I was grateful but I still declined the offer. “I ’ ve done a couple of other competitions and felt they were rigged. “They knew who the winner would be before
Katee, who teaches guitar and ukulele at Bishopbriggs School of Music, played with Seasick Steve in front of 12,500 fans at Wembley.
The blues musician, real name Steve Gene Wold, invited her to join him on stage in October after seeing her version of his song Purple Shadows online. Katee, whose second album Don’t Fade to Grey has just been released, said: “I’m so proud of my albums because they are mine.
“I gigged non-stop to raise the money. It’s hard work but being able to do things like play at Wembley spurred me on.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to play there again without Simon Cowell’s help.”
The production firm behind The X Factor and BGT – Freemantle Media – denied Katee’s claims. A spokesman said: “No acts are fast-tracked and everyone has to pass through a producer audition before getting to the judges round.”