Chart-topping pop star Mika has revealed he was turned down by X Factor Simon Cowell a couple of years ago.

The singer has had massive success with his debut album, but has revealed that if Simon Cowell had his way he wouldn�t have released anything.

He tells Attitude magazine, �I had a meeting with Simon a few years back. He said my songs weren't very good and I wasn't a songwriter.

"Then I spotted a gold disc for the Teletubbies single to the left of him and thought, 'This is possibly not the man for me.'"