'X Factor' accused of 'fixing' after music store names winner before final

London, Dec 7 (ANI): 'The X Factor' and HMV found themselves at the centre of a "fixing" row after the music store inadvertently published an advertisement for the "winner's" just days before the talent show's weekend final.

The High Street music retailer's website crashed and social networking sites went into meltdown after the advertisement was posted, appearing to disclose that Amelia Lily had won the ITV reality show.

Both the organisations denied this weekend's final had been rigged, instead blaming a "regrettable technical issue" on HMV's website.

"This is absolutely nothing to do with The X Factor, HMV have admitted this was due to a technical error on their site," the Telegraph quoted the spokesperson for 'The X Factor' as saying.

While HMV apologised and said "nothing further (should) be construed" from the mistake, X Factor sources admitted executives were "really annoyed" over the blunder.

'The X Factor' final, which will take place at Wembley Arena, is still open to a public vote. Coldplay, Leona Lewis, Buble, JLS and One Direction are the star guests at the final next weekend.

Ahead of the final, fans of the popular television show noticed the page, titled "Amelia Lily X Factor 2011 Winners (sic) single", that had been published in HMV's online music section.

Meanwhile, searches for any winner's singles produced by the other two finalists, Little Mix and Marcus Collins, failed to produce any results.

In the advertisement, HMV said the single, as yet untitled, would be released next Monday through record label Syco, the company owned by Simon Cowell, the media mogul and the show's boss.

The website said the single would retail for ?3.99, and would be shipped in "three to six working days".

But the blunder provoked thousands of angry postings from fans on Twitter, the microblogging website, claiming the show should be renamed "Fixfactor". It also led HMV's website to crash for a period.

While all three finalists have recorded versions of the unnamed song, fans quickly suggested the show had been "fixed". (ANI)