x factor has once again found itself at the centre of controversy after it emerged that cheesy pop singer Christopher Maloney is pulling in double the amount of votes as his rivals. The Liverpudlian finalist has been slammed for his outdated act, though he has reportedly finished top of the pile for the past couple of weeks.

According to the Daily Star, Maloney is soaring ahead of the other contestants, including the accomplished vocalist Ella Henderson. Show boss Simon Cowell is said to be extremely worried about the possibility of the singer winning the entire show and is "trying desperately to get him kicked off." Eliminated contestants Kye Sones and MK1 have been critical of Maloney, though his cheesy 80s ballads appears to be getting him votes - plenty of votes. The singer, 34, recently claimed his grandmother had suffered serious health problems because of the backlash against him. "She's not well because of it all - her blood pressure has been sky high. She can't really handle the cruel comments I've been getting and I'm really upset she's having to endure it," he said, adding, "She's had to see the doctor for tests and change her blood pressure tablets."

Despite the public votes, the bookmakers remain unconvinced that Maloney will triumph in this year's competition, still offering odds of around 12/1.