Andrew Lloyd Webber said ever contestant on The Voice sang out of tune

Andrew Lloyd Webber said ever contestant on The Voice sang out of tune

The composer and talent show judge said: “I don’t know what the problem was there. Everyone was out of tune all the time.

“I just couldn’t watch it.

“Unfortunately, I have perfect pitch â€" it’s either one of the great advantages or the greatest affliction in life.

“When people sing out of tune, I just can’t listen.”

Lord Lloyd Webber hit out at the BBC1 ratings flop, which finished last month, ahead of his own new ITV1 song contest starting this month.

The maestro, who appeared on five BBC talent shows before switching channels, is searching for the West End lead of a remake of Jesus Christ Superstar.

He will lead a judging panel which also includes Dawn French and Jason Donovan on Superstar â€" but says he has BANNED the panel from reality show cliches.

Lloyd Webber declared: “What I really, really want to do is to sit down with everyone and tell them that there are certain reality show cliches and I think we ought to have a gong system.

“It’ll gong us out if anyone says, ‘You’ve had a fantastic journey’ or, ‘Although you’ve lost, I’m sure we’re going to hear from you again’.”

Lloyd Webber also said he and former writing partner Tim Rice had settled their differences after the lyricist slammed plans for the show as “tasteless” and “tacky”.

Rice had threatened to veto the winning contestant from appearing in a new production of the musical which the pair created in the Seventies.

Lloyd Webber said that Rice now backed the programme.

In the same outspoken interview with the Radio Times, he also blamed the UK’s recent disastrous showings at Eurovision on RACISM.

The man behind shows such as Cats and Phantom Of The Opera chose Jade Ewen to represent the UK in the 2009 competition in Moscow. He also wrote a song for the Londoner who ended up coming fifth.

He believes that Jade, like other black contestants representing the UK at Eurovision including Javine Hylton and Andy Abraham, missed out on votes because of their race.

Lloyd Webber said: “I don’t think there’s any point beating around the bush. Did you see the Eurovision Song Contest this year?

“Well, if you had seen it, you might have noticed one thing â€" I don’t think there was one black face on the programme.

“At the press conference in Moscow, I was asked, ‘Why have you brought a black artist?’

“I said, ‘Because she is the most talented artist that we had and I think she’s a major, major star.’

“I think we would have come second but there’s a problem when you go further east... ”

On the issue of racism among Eurovision voters he added: “If you’re talking about Western Europe â€" Germany, fine; France, fine; Spain, fine; Greece, fine; Scandinavian countries, fine. But Ukraine? Not so good.”

Swedish singer Loreen, who is of Moroccan-Berber origin, won this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Azerbaijan, while the UK’s Engelbert Humperdinck came second last.

A BBC spokeswoman said: “The BBC is committed to Eurovision and has no evidence whatsoever of any racism around the event.”

Meanwhile, Lloyd Webber also revealed he has now been given the all-clear by doctors after receiving treatment for prostate cancer.

It was diagnosed in 2009.

He told the mag: “I mean, they actually told me not to bother coming back.”