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Rhythmix change name after Kent firm complains

Rhythmix are through to the live shows on ITV's The X Factor
Rhythmix are through to the live shows on ITV's The X Factor

X Factor contestants Rhythmix are changing their name - after a complaint from a Kent charity.

The girl group will have to go back to the drawing board and come up with a new name after the Kent-based charity also called Rhythmix asked them to change it.

A spokesman for the ITV talent show said the group will reveal their new name "in due course".

Rhythmix the charity, based in Tunbridge Wells, dubs itself 'one of the UK's leading music charities' operating in Kent and throughout the South East.

Its CEO, Mark Davyd, created Tunbridge Wells Forum in 1993 - a venue for rising touring acts.

He said he is delighted by the news but was still annoyed at how long the argument lasted.

He added: " What happened is that the name came up and a search was carried out and they discovered it was the name of a music charity that worked with young people in music.

"At that point I think it's a quite reasonable proposition for everyone to make that that is the point you would say I am going to think of a different name. What they did instead was to say I'm going to contact lawyers to use the name anyway."

Audio: KMFM's Nicola Everett speaks to Mr Davyd, CEO of Rhythmix

The change comes after Mr Davyd wrote an open letter to Simon Cowell.

In it he said it would cause confusion online for the charity, as music was at the heart of what the charity does.

The open letter to Mr Cowell, boss of entertainment firm Simco, continued: "Rather than seeking any discussion with the charity, considering any of the moral implications of their actions, or checking with the charity whether the pursuit of an exclusive trademark might have a negative impact on the activities of the charity, Simco and their legal representatives apparently sought a way to use the law to circumvent [our] trademark".

But he said he still didn't believe the media mogul's reputation as "Mr Nasty".

Charity Rhythmix manages and delivers the Youth Music Action Zone (Lottery funded by Youth Music) for Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, Kent and Surrey.

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