Photo: WENN

X Factor boss Simon Cowell has reacted angrily to recent comments made by Depeche Mode star Martin Gore, who said the music mogul should be shot.

The Depeche Mode guitarist said in a recent interview that 'somebody should shoot Simon Cowell' because of the influence he has on the music industry.

He did, however, maintain that he was 'not advocating violence'.

Cowell tweeted: "I read martin Gore wants to shoot me. He was in depeche Mode. Do you realise how weird and stupid that makes you. Go and watch the news."

He continued: "Why I am angry about weirdo Gore is a ton of people have got shot this year and people like weirdo Gore encourage this."

In the interview with Music Week, Gore fretted over the state of the music industry today, and placed a lot of the blame at the feet of shows like X Factor.

Speaking about Cowell, Gore said: "His influence on the music industry over the last god knows how many years it's been now... It's just like, so many people think that's what music is.

"What happened to bands getting together? They are very few and far between now and the ones that do probably can't afford to get into a studio and make a record."

Depeche Mode on stage at the Royal Albert Hall

Many have criticised Cowell over recent years for the impact his talent shows have on music.

The Enemy recently called him 'a parasite off people who've had bad lives."

But British guitar rockers The Vaccines recently said they support shows like X factor, saying that for a lot of young singers the shows were their only oportunity for a break in the industry.

X Factor: from the early days to a bubble ready to burst