Plan B - Plan B Rules Out X Factor Slot

The rapper released a gritty album inspired by his tough upbringing as his debut, but hit the big time in 2010 with his second project, The Defamation of Strickland Banks, which won him a string of industry awards.

He insists he has no plans to ever perform on a TV talent show such as Simon Cowell's hit, as it would damage his reputation as a creative musician.

He tells ShortList magazine, "No disrespect to anyone involved in those shows but all they do is boost your profile as a celebrity. There are a lot of pop acts with just a pretty face and a half-decent voice. They don't even write their own s**t.

"I'm lucky enough to have a gift that allows me to create things from nothing: music, films, fictional characters. Others don't have that, so their work goes into their image as a celebrity. So, if I have a gift like this, wouldn't I be neglecting it if I appeared on a show like The X Factor?"