RTE 1 DJ Ronan Collins has spoken out on Joe Duffy’s Liveline show, dismissing the new single by Popstars’ band Six as "awful".

Collins told startled RTE listeners that he had played the song, a cover version of the 1975 hit ‘There’s A Whole Lot Of Loving Going On’, but only reluctantly. "Because it’s pretty bad," he declared bluntly.

Collins, a musician himself, offered a more detailed critique of the phenomenon than has been heard before on mainstream radio.

"We were told that these were the brightest talents, singing talents, dancing talents in Ireland," the RTE DJ added. "If they are, then there's a very, very dim future for singers and dancers in this country. If we are to judge from their recording of a mediocre pop song from 25 years ago, that is being made even worse now. It's awful what they produced. It's lacking in creativity, imagination, any kind of musicianship, and the singing is awful."

Collins went on to speak about his own career as a drummer in several bands in the years before he became a DJ. He contrasted his experiences while trying to make it as a musician with the Popstars programme, claiming it presented an inaccurate view of the industry.

"You work your way up, you learn your craft, you learn how to do it," he said. "[Whereas] six of them are picked, they are told, ‘you are now successful, as long as you do things our way’. My firm belief is that out of the thousands who auditioned, any who had a real talent, who had songwriting ability, but most of all who had a mind of their own, was rejected by that panel, because they won’t do what we tell them – ‘we’ being Louis, Bill & Linda."

Controversially, Collins then launched a direct attack on the Popstars judges.

"These kids are being led up an alleyway," he claimed, "and the only ones who get any fame - and probably ultimately will get anything out of this - are Louis Walsh, Bill Hughes and Linda Martin. Now, they are entitled to make a living and entitled to do what they do - but are they entitled to tell us what is successful before it is even presented to people? They are telling us what is going to be successful. They are taking away the right of people to decide."

Collins’ confrontational remarks provoked a fast and furious response from Six manager Louis Walsh. An outraged Walsh rang the programme and castigated Collins for his scathing dismissal of the band.

"This is a bit rich coming from a failed showband star," said Walsh. "You've done everything and you've failed at it all, and you hated ‘Uptown Girl’ as well, Ronan. Get a life."

In what was one of the most personalised clashes between well-known personalities on Irish radio in some time, Walsh drove home his point vehemently. "You’re not gonna make a name on our backs," he insisted. "Cop on, you're a failed showband star, man. You lived your whole life doing bad cover versions in Dublin nightclubs. You’ve never been on Top Of The Pops. We don’t even care if you play the record or not. It's number 3 on the airplay chart today."

"An airplay chart, Joe," Collins interjected, " for anybody who doesn’t understand, is what people like Louis manipulate."

"Cop on, willya? You're a bad Terry Wogan," countered Walsh, "you’ve run with every mickey mouse band in Ireland. You're lucky that you have a job as a DJ. They [Six] are amazing singers. They were the best people I got. They're better than Bucks Fizz, they're better than any of these manufactured bands in the UK. Play the record, willya?"

"Not today," said Collins, who made a point of throwing out an olive branch to Walsh, informing listeners that he and Louis would not fall out over their disagreement.

Collins’ unprecedented outburst surprised many, since his employers RTE have a financial interest in Six - and would doubtless appreciate maximum airplay for their debut single. "I don’t think that Collins is going to be flavour of the month with the mandarins," one highly placed RTE source told hotpress.com.

On the other hand, a bit more of this could do a lot for the national station's flagging ratings. Watch this space!