[jkp44]

Axed X Factor star Daniel Evans has admitted that he felt inadequate compared to his rival contestants.

The 38-year-old pool cleaner struggled to win praise from the judges throughout his stint on the ITV1 talent show. He also found it difficult to be away from his young daughter while he lived in the X Factor house.

Evans eventually became the first act to be eliminated from Dannii Minogue's 'Over 25s' category in the competition's sixth week.

"There were times when I just wanted to go home and hold baby Ana, but Dannii picked me up," Evans told Hello! magazine. "She told me I could phone her any time, day or night. When I was filled with self-doubt and in awe of the other contestants, she advised me to ignore everyone else and never watch their rehearsals."

He added: "I loved working with Dannii. She was the only mentor who'd turn up for our routining sessions on Sunday mornings. I used to help the camera crew lift their equipment and she got to hear about it. She sent me a text saying: 'You inspire me'. I'll save that message forever."

Sinitta recently suggested that Minogue was wrong to pick Evans for the show, claiming that he "couldn't sing".

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/xfactor/...-struggle.html