[Patrick]

X FACTOR hopeful Stacey Solomon is set to be the nation's new sweetheart, says host Dermot O'Leary.
The kooky single mum from Essex has won over the hearts of the judges and even Robbie Williams with her shy, giggly nature and dizzy comments.

And Dermot reckons the public will warm to her in the same way they took to Jade Goody.

He said: "She has that same lovely oblivious quality.


"I was talking to her the other day in the studio and was saying to her try not to think about it too much, just really enjoy it.

"I told her if you think about the fact that 12million people are watching it you will go out of your mind.

"She just said 'I don't have any problem with that. I don't think about a thing!'"

Tragic Jade - who died of cancer in March aged 27 - won over the nation with her silly observations on Big Brother in 2002.

Dagenham-born mum-of-one Stacey, 20, shares her penchant for a daffy remark and has the same accent as she grew up ten miles from the Bermondsey reality star.

Dermot said: "There is something so adorable that it's not fake or forced at all. That is why she is so likeable. She is a dark horse. I think she could go really far."


But Dermot said the live shows, which start tonight on ITV1, will be the real test of who of the final 12 win the public's heart.

He said: ""If you look on paper the over 25s and the girls are very strong. But no-one was talking about Alexandra Burke this time last year - everyone was talking about Laura (White).

"It's not just a singing contest - you have got to have a personality to connect to the people at home."

He said building up a connection will be especially important for the groups, including ex-lapdancers Kandy Rain.

He said: "They are not like JLS who were in it from the start.

"The groups have got a chance if they stay in a few weeks and people get to know them.

"I feel sorry for Kandy Rain. They did what they did for a job and they obviously did it because they needed to earn money. It's then difficult to go 'Hey, you can take them round to your mum's.'"

The host also accepted that - as has happened on Big Brother - X Factor entrants have become more fame hungry year on year.

But he said the audition process leaves fame junkies exposed.


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He said: "The great thing about this over Big Brother is that it is a talent show and there is no way you can get past the fact that the people who win have to have a good voice.

"Of course it's going to attract people who desperately want to be famous but they tend to get weeded out fairly quickly.

"So you get left with twelve acts who have dreams and aspirations and fame is a by-product of that."

The 36-year-old Essex-born favourite is already steeling himself for the moment he has to start watching acts voted out.

He admitted: "You start to really feel it by week five. You have a real relationship with people and then they start to go.

"But it's rare that people ever go back to their day job.

"They usually do something whether its selling records like Leona (Lewis) or singing in a club rather than sitting in an office.

"I'm going to go and see Diana Vickers in Little Voice in the next few weeks."

Dermot promised a bigger and better show than ever before with a new set and an 800-strong audience.

Last year celebrity liggers like Kate Moss were a regular sight but this year they are barred as Simon Cowell wants a normal audience.

Dermot explained: "Most of these people have just been to his 50th birthday where he spent an inordinate amount of money on them - so they shouldn't feel too sorry for themselves.

"There are more punters this year which I think is brilliant. The atmosphere is terrific, it is extraordinary.

The excitement I feel in the 30 seconds before I walk out makes me go, 'Yikes'. Then I look around and we're off again."



Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz0TclVmFMC

[Beastie]

Stacey is better than Jade! and I liked Jade.