The father of The X Factor contestant Stevi Ritchie has blasted Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney for criticising his son during the singing talent show.
Before Ritchie was voted off the ITV show on Sunday night, Rooney tweeted that "good singers" were leaving while Simon Cowell's act stayed put.
In response to Rooney's comments, Richard Ritchie has defended his son by revealing that the 34-year-old trained at the London School of Musical Theatre.
"For Mr Rooney to say he can't sing when he doesn't know his background is a little bit unfair," the Daily Star quotes Ritchie as saying.
"He's a trained actor at Rada, trained singer at the London School of Musical Theatre. I think it's unfair for Mr Rooney to jump on the bandwagon and criticise him."
Ritchie lost Sunday's sing-off to Mel B's act Andrea Faustini.
