Paul Weller has criticised the spate of “effing talent shows” on TV and claimed he would be “too embarrassed” to appear any of them.

Last year, former Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher claimed that Weller was a big fan of The X Factor but, in an interview with the Radio Times, the Modfather insisted he was sick of TV singing contests and dismissed them as “Saturday-night viewing for the masses”.

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“Would I be a judge? Would I hell,” he said, before adding: I’d be too embarrassed to be on those shows. You get some of these kids who think they’re a little bit ‘edgy’, got a bit of a Pete Doherty haircut. You’re not edgy, really, mate. Otherwise you wouldn’t be on an effing talent show, would you?”

Asked if Simon Cowell deserved plaudits for his work with boyband One Direction, who recently became the first UK band to score a US Number One with their debut album, he replied: “Dunno, ’cause I’ve never heard ’em. I do know what you’re talking about. But I wouldn’t give him anything, personally.”

Last month, (March 25) Weller notched up his fourth solo Number One album when his new LP, Sonik Kicks, entered the chart in the top position. Despite only recently releasing his eleventh studio LP, however, he is already eying up his next project – he recently told NME that he is planning on working with Miles Kane on new material. “We’ve set aside a couple of dates in April when I’m going to do some writing with him,” he said. “I like him, he’s done well.”