Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn has criticised Glee, describing the covers performed on the hit US TV show as a “very poor substitute for the real thing”.

The singer, who also fronts Blur, said he would never allow Gorillaz music to be used on the programme.

"We wouldn't let that happen," he told the Associated Press. "And not that they've asked us because they haven't, and now they definitely won't.”

The cast of Glee, which tells the story of a fictional high school glee club, have covered songs by the likes Lady Gaga, Madonna and Britney Spears.

They also recently broke The Beatles' record for most appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 by a non-solo act.

But Albarn said the re-imaginations would not endure like the original versions.

"Those songs won't last like the Beatles by any stretch of their imagination," he said. "They'll be forgotten in a few years' time."

Sir Paul McCartney, George Michael and Coldplay are all understood to have agreed to take part in the second series of the show.

(by Jason Gregory)