Fiona McCade: Lose-lose situation for talent show children

At least, his parents say he does. I’ve seen no particular evidence, except perhaps a fondness for singing into hairbrushes, but his father announced to me that: “We’re taking the BGT route. I’ll be accompanying him through the first audition phase. I’ll probably have to take time off work for the finals, but that’s what you do for your kids, isn’t it?”

When I’d picked my jaw up off the floor and dusted it off, I asked if – whether or not the kid reaches the finals – this was really a good idea for a child who is still in primary school. His dad was adamant. “I’m not a pushy father. It’s what he wants.”

But what a child wants and what’s good for a child are often very different things. On last week’s X Factor, Gary Barlow was seen sending tearful 16-year-old Luke Lucas home. Luke had done a cheeky, assured audition in the first round, but the veneer of confidence had slowly cracked, leading to a meltdown at the judges’ houses stage. Barlow commented: “Sixteen is just too young to be in this competition with this kind of pressure, but some 16-year-olds are more mature than others. Luke is just too young.”

I suspect that, like almost all the kids who try out for these kinds of show, Luke Lucas wanted to be hailed as the new Justin Bieber, who is just a year older than him. I know for absolutely sure that my friend’s nine-year-old does. But Bieber’s rise to fame has been relatively slow and organic in comparison with these one-minute-on-stage sensations.

Bieber may only be 17 and a half, but he’s a self-taught multi-instrumentalist who has been making music, in and out of the public eye, for half his life. Whatever you may think of that music, it proves a love and a commitment to what he’s doing. Contrast that with the familiar refrain from the TV talent shows: “But I really, really want this! I’ve wanted it ALL MY LIFE!”, when the last thing they really, really wanted was a Kinder Surprise.

I’m shocked that my friend and her husband want to put their little one through the Britain’s Got Talent circus, because as far as I can see, it’s a lose-lose situation.

If the kid gets up onstage and fails to astound the British public, he’s going to feel humiliated, crushed and could lose his confidence. If he takes the audience by storm and becomes an overnight sensation, he could lose his childhood. I wouldn’t want either of those things to happen to a child of mine.

“Can’t you hang on a few years?” I pleaded with my friend. “Let him practise a bit more? What’s the hurry?”

There’s still one 16-year-old left in the X Factor line-up: Amelia Lily. I hope she’s mature enough to cope, but if I were her parent, I wouldn’t take the chance. Sixteen may be the age of majority in Scotland, but I’d beg her to wait. Trouble is, Amelia says: “My dad is definitely my biggest supporter. He really, really wanted me to succeed … I’m doing it for him.”

Uh oh. But Barlow’s fellow X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos says: “I don’t think they can ever be too young. Coming from someone that started with N-Dubz at 11 years old … It’s toughened me up.” Fair enough, but Tulisa’s upbringing was so dysfunctional, she barely had a childhood to lose, and when she started making music, it was with supportive family members. She was never alone, under a spotlight, in front of strangers.

Perhaps the difference between Tulisa and Gary – and me – is that Tulisa is 23 and single. Gary is 40 with three children. Tulisa just sees the glittering career. Gary and I can see the kids.

My friend’s husband has no such reservations. “If they don’t let him through the first round, I’m going to take him and push him right in front of Simon Cowell,” he snarled. I considered pointing out that Cowell isn’t on BGT any more. But why bother? The “not pushy” father had said it all.