Simon Cowell has defended his decision to keep Katie Waissel in the finals of The X Factor.

The entertainment mogul told Konnie Huq on The Xtra Factor that he had decided to keep Katie on the show because she was more interesting than Treyc Cohen.

The 51-year-old confessed that he was impressed with her "drama queen's" performances both on and off stage.

He said of her negative media coverage: "I've got to say if you go into the music business you are going to get press, good and bad.

"And she is a drama queen. She fell on the floor tonight, and she knows what she is doing. And that's why I kept her in.

"You have to take it on the chin. Singing in front of 15 million people on Saturday night, people will write about you."

A recent report had claimed that Katie's mentor Cheryl Cole has "had enough" of her diva antics.

A source told the Daily Star: "Cheryl called Katie a drama queen on telly on Saturday and said she liked that aspect of her, but now she is getting sick of it.

"At the start of the contest people felt sorry for her over the negative press she got, but as the weeks have gone on they realised they were played like fools by her."

They added: "She is a manipulative little madam and everything that happens to her happens for a reason - to get publicity. She pretended to be horrified about a story about her and Matt having a romp and yet it turns out to be fake and she helped to leak it."