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Harry! · 29-12-2007, 07:34 AM

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SHAYNE Ward sounds much more Irish in person that you’d expect.

The 2005 winner of The X Factor was brought up in Manchester but his roots are in Ireland, a detail that probably helped him win the competition when Louis Walsh encouraged all the Celts to back Shayne.

But deserved victory or not, since winning X Factor, Shayne has proved himself to be more than just a (very) pretty face.

His debut album Shayne Ward sold over two million copies and produced 13 number one hits world-wide.

He also headlined a national arena tour in 2007 and his second tour starts in May.

As well as performing at London’s O2 Arena, Shayne will be stopping off at Liverpool’s newest venue, the Echo Arena.

When the Southport Visiter caught up with Shayne he had just returned from Thailand where his single from second album Breathless has been number one for the past nine weeks.

“The reception I am getting for the second album has been huge,” he says.

“I love so many different songs on the album, they are all so different there.

“I like Breathless and You Hang Up – it’s laid back it’s sexy, it’s funky.

“Also, You Got Me So and You Make Me Wish, every song is quite different.”

So is he looking forward to getting back on the road?

“It’s really exciting. It’s my second arena tour, I did it with the first album. I was quite nervous as I was by myself, not with the X Factor crowd.

“But the reception I got was huge I really enjoyed it.”

Shayne, who has a lot of family living in Liverpool, said travelling is one of things he enjoys most about his job.

As well as Thailand he has just been to Hong Kong and in the last few years has travelled all over the world.

He says prior to The X Factor the furthest he had been was Spain.

But his career nearly hit the rocks last year when he developed nodules on his vocal chords – the same condition that stopped the singing career of legendary performer Julie Andrews.

“It could have stopped me doing what I am doing now, stopped me from singing. It was painful, I hope I don’t have to go through it again.”

And Shayne is definitely very protective over his voice now.

“I try to keep out of smoking areas, that’s why the smoking ban is good,” he says.

“I have a little steamer which I put water and eucalyptus in and inhale that. And I try not to talk too much.”

So what he does he think of the final three of this year’s X-Factor?

“Same Difference is really good for the kids,” he says.

“Leon is good like Frank Sinatra and Rhydian is classically trained. I can see Rhydian in Broadway.”

l Shayne Ward performs at the Echo Arena on Tuesday, May 27. Tickets are £26.50 and are subject to a booking fee.

To book log on to www.accliverpool.com or ring the Echo Arena box office on 0844 8000 400.

l The ‘Southport Visiter’ has one pair of tickets to give away to a lucky reader to see Shayne’s concert at the Echo Arena.

To be in with a chance of winning simply send your contact details along with the answer to this question: Who won this year’s series of ‘The X-Factor’? Send your answer to: Shayne Ward Competition, Southport Visiter, 26-32 Tulketh Street, Southport PR8 1BT. Closing date is Friday, January 11.