Simon Cowell: 'Jai not a worthy winner'

Simon Cowell has slammed Britain's Got Talent 2011 winner Jai McDowall, calling him a 'disappointing' winner.

The 25-year-old Scottish singer beat schoolboy Ronan Parke in the final of the TV talent show last year, but music mogul Simon has said he was 'the best of a bad bunch'.

Simon told The Sun: "I was disappointed with Jai.

"He would make a living in West End theatre, but he wasn't what I was looking for.

"You want a Diversity or Susan Boyle, someone who is a genuine star. He is talented, but the show can do better. None of the finalists were up to scratch - the winner was the best of a bad bunch."

He added: "It will sound awful me slagging him off, but you want someone to be a star all over the world."

Simon blamed last year's judges Amanda Holden, David Hasselhoff and Michael McIntyre.

He left them to it last year while he was launching the US X Factor, but he returns to the judging panel this year with Amanda and new judges David Walliams and Alesha Dixon.