The former winner of SIMON COWELL’s hit U.K.reality show BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT has launched a stinging attack on the music mogul – accusing the star of cheating him out of royalties since his victory.
Dancer George Sampson was crowned champion on the show last year (08) but he claims Cowell side-stepped his promise to boost his career, concentrating instead on his other acts.
Sampson, 16, landed a role in a West End stage show following his big win and then released his own dance DVD.
But the teen reveals he ended up paying the costs of the video himself and has suffered a loss on the venture – blaming Cowell for setting up contracts which swallow up all of the profits.
He says, “Things aren’t going well for me and Simon. I suppose he’s realised he can make more money out of other people. But I thought we were tight (close). I had one of the best-selling DVDs at the start of the year. But I’ve just found out that Simon’s company takes 90 per cent of the revenue. I get ten per cent but I have to pay the production costs so I end up owing them money. I’m not quite sure how it all works, but that can’t be fair, can it?”
Sampson is also annoyed that Cowell splashed out thousands of dollars on a designer handbag for former X Factor winner Alexandra Burke’s birthday, but only gave him a handful of gift vouchers when he turned 16.
He adds, “All he got me was vouchers for (London shop) Harrods. What am I supposed to buy in there?”