Eurythmics singer Annie Lennox has hit out at TV talent shows – branding the contests “dangerous and cruel” because of the devastating effect rejection can have on aspiring artists.

Lennox — who spends her days as an outspoken HIV/AIDS activist — tells The Daily Mail she would never join the judging panel of a series such as American Idol or Britain’s The X Factor .

“I think those types of shows are dangerous and cruel – they’ll have a long-lasting effect on how people look at music. I understand their appeal, but there’s no chance I’d ever be a judge. You have a panel of people basically giving you the thumbs up or down, and there’s so much more to music than that.”



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