The one contestant that has left me with mixed views has been Danyl Johnson.

During the auditions he seemed to be the one that had the most chance of winning.

However since the live shows their's been rumours about his diva like strops and his bullying of other contestants.

The judges as well have been on at him about his arrogance and cockyness.

So what do you think? are the criticism and the rumours unfair?

Or do you think he's deserving of all the flack that he's getting?

victim; The character assassination has been painful to watch, thats never justified even to the point that they say he looks like a monkey and his mouth is to big!!!! ~I couldnt laugh it off and go out and perform i admire him for doing so

Victim. In my opinion.

Got to agree with you there Lisa1972. He can't win which ever way he performs. He's a shadow of his former self I think, nothing like he was on the first few live shows. Critique is good, but he's had more than his fair share of bile thrown at him.

That said, JEdward have also dealt with a similar situation, but I feel that Danyls had more vitriol thrown at him, and that's got to be hard to take, week in, week out.

Hes a diva. Just watch the headlines after he leaves the show.

yeah, i know we havent got a clue all the stuff going on behind the scenes. But i want the acts to be judged equally on their performances not have one start a mile behind everyone else and have to catch up/ i can be a stroppy so and so at times and im sure id be hell to live with in the house as i like to do things my way and not live with a bunch of teenagers. I really dont care if hes a diva as lond as hes a good one

Think they're feeling the strain as well....

i tel you what i am SO looking forward to the headlines after he leaves, i hope he gives a few people both barrels he has a right to reply over the crap that has been thrown at him

That maybe so Caz,, but I think the kind of stuff they've had to deal with has been on a different level to Danyls, There seems to be pure venom towards him at times.

Victim, typical anyone who looks successful, the Few will try to knock down!

Changed my post as I think they're dealing what's been thrown at them, but I feel Danyl's press has been venomous too.

Without taking any of that into account, he's an incredibly overhyped vocalist of mediocre ability with an extremely arrogant stage persona. Half a dozen acts have consistently outclassed him this year, and that's before it even gets debatable.

I think he's a victim of media hype. We don't really know what's gone on behind the scenes and we all know the papers twist the facts to make a story.

I don't read the papers or have any interest in celebrity gossip and hype. I must say, I have been amazed by the animosity towards Danyl as he doesn't come over as being a particulary nasty person.

Agree that there is a difference between the criticism of the twins and Danyl. IMO people 'hate' (easiest word to use) the twins because they can't perform and shouldn't have got this far on the show whereas with Danyl it is more based upon his personality. That makes it more personal and hurtful and harder to deal with, I think.

Saying that, I do think he's a diva.

lol....yeah I kind of do, but it's been exaggerated.

Danyl is a victim as are John and Edward, of certain sections of the so called "press". I would not accuse any individual person of jumping on a "bandwagon" but of course there are those members of the public who do.

I can't speak to Danyl's personality as I have never met the man and refuse, however much people may try to make me, of judging him on hearsay, rumour and gossip.

The problem being of course, that whilst enough of us buy these newspapers, post links on forums such as these, and fan the flames, things will never be any different. Its telling I think, to me at least, that these "bullying" stories are not to be found in any newspaper that I read, even though there are X Factor articles in them. Its the ones I wouldnt wipe my a*** on, let alone buy, that are the culprits.

Some say that J & E have had it easier because the outcry against them has not been so "personal". Well, I don't buy into that either. Death threats for crying out loud? I can't believe it is just me who thinks " What? Over a tv show? Over people trying to better their lives and follow a dream?"

Its a sad state of affairs, but there are certain people who are not happy unless they are bringing someone else down. I just have to be very very grateful that I have no-one like that in my life.

Danyl may well not be a "nice guy". The only people that can or should judge that are the people who know him. He seems to have plenty of friends, so I guess he is not all bad. He's probably not all good either. I keep saying it, but it bears saying again :

Some people claim to know Danyl and say he is awful. Some people claim to know Danyl and say he is lovely. So, the only thing I can extrapolate from that, if I were to think about it at all is:

He is a human being. A person who gets on well with some and not so much with others. Some people warm to him, some people don't. Basically, he is the same as every single one of us.

What Danyl and J&E have had to put up with is unacceptable under ANY circumstances, let alone the one they find themselves in. Anyone who thinks otherwise, whether they like him or not, are the ones who need to take a long look in the mirror.

Excellent post lizzy, and so true

I agree too.

Danyl has a huge voice and it's as if he has been chopped up and spat out by the press. I feel sorry for him. He is one of the best singers in the competition in my opinion.

Danyl definately a victim.
Think Cowell has now decided to put everything into Olly being his 'chosen one' & Danyl can go elsewhere now?
Cole clearly hates him with a passion (the bit about him being 'flat' last night was a complete hit n hope from her as she wouldn't know flat if it whacked her on the bare buttocks with a sign saying 'flat')
Dannii probably isnt keen on him, but keeps it balanced?
Walsh will take the chance of getting rid of anyone to keep his 'twins' in, so he's toast sometime soon........

The press and probably the forums have ruined this years show for me.

I suspect he isnt perfect. I suspect he is highly strung and gets snappy when under pressure - I suspect he has found living in a house full of 18 year olds and vain girl groups very hard and has probably cracked a couple of times.

But he has not deserved the spite thrown at him on this forum or in the press. Dont people realise they ruin other peoples enjoyment when they do this?

I thought he has had it tough since the Dannigate incident in the first show and Cheryl is still following through with her snide remarks.

I hope he makes the finals as along with Joe he is the best of this year...

He's a victim, but it is shameful that it has come to this.
He's a talented guy in a singing competition and if he had been left alone, or even just critisized for his performances, not his character, I think we would have now been seeing a great star being born.
They have robbed him of his confidence and he is now a tense, nervous shadow of his former self when he is on stage.
Emotionally and mentally he could end up seriously damaged by the whole sordid mess, and for what?
He's a great singer and isn't it just typical of our, once great, country to bring anyone down who shows a level of self belief that others have to label 'cocky' and 'arrogant'
It's shocking really.

I really thought he gave a very beautiful and emotional performance last night. How Cheryl had the audacity to say it was flat is beyond me. In my opinion he gave a very authentic and sensitive rendition of the song, with a new but respectful arrangement. It gave me goosebumps. I've listened to it a number of times now and i really can't pick up any bum notes, but anyhow, a few bum notes don't bother me in live performances which are genuinely moving and powerful, and for me it was. I can't beleive he doesn't get more praise from the other judges.

Neither am i convinced by these claims of bullying. He comes across as an emotional guy, perhaps a little vulnerable even, but a bully? A diva? I've not seen much evidence of either. And they're all under substantial pressure. If i was in that situation - where it can feel like your life is literally at steak, i would feel a bit tearful and anxious sometimes too. It doesn't make him a bad person, and it doesn't mean he shouldn't have a recording career. In my view he works really hard and I think it's digusting the way he's been bullied by the public and the media to be honest.

hes both imo

Would you care to elaborate to why???

Someone, somewhere decided to do a hatchet job on him...(THE SUN?)......and those who're not supporting him have bought into it...no matter what he does now it's seen as "diva" behaviour, bulling etc...IMO...He is undoubtedly the most talented performer on the X Factor..I hope he doesnt win as he will just be crucified by the press....He'd be better going across the pond and creating a career for himself....Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh helped start the attack and end of Steve Brookstein and I see history repeating itself here.......The power of the red tops never fails to amaze me...............So yes I do feel he is a victim and I can say that without being a diehard fan...