Simon Cowell gutted as X Factor misses out on Christmas No 1

SIMON Cowell today said he had offered jobs to the couple whose internet campaign kept the X Factor off the Christmas number one spot.

Simon said he was “gutted” at losing the battle to top the festive charts after Rage Against The Machine beat X Factor winner Joe McElderry.

He was no “sore loser”, Simon added, as he revealed Jon and Tracy Morter, who led the Facebook campaign which ended the show’s four-year run of number ones, had turned down his job offers.

Simon Cowell said he was “genuinely impressed” by their campaign which he said had no funding and had not resorted to dirty tricks.

“I offered them jobs at my record company,” he said. “I wanted them to come and work for us, but they haven’t taken me up on the offer.”

Simon said he now realised he had “taken too much for granted“ and now accepted that some people do not like The X Factor.

When the chart was revealed Simon said: “I am gutted for Joe because a number one single meant a lot to him, but I have to congratulate Jon and Tracy.

“Win or lose, they turned this into a very exciting race for the Christmas number one.”

Mr Morter said their victory was “pretty amazing.

“It’s yet to sink in,” he said.

Rage Against The Machine saw their expletive-ridden 1992 hit Killing in the Name become the first ever Christmas number one that was available only through downloads.