[Harry!]

http://www.sundayherald.com/

BY THE iron laws of television celebrity, winning The X Factor makes 18-year-old Leon Jackson from Whitburn, West Lothian, the talk of pop town for the Christmas period at least. From being sales assistant in Gap to singing with Kylie Minogue in front of a television audience of nine million, it has been one hell of a year for Jackson. Since winning The X Factor earlier this month, and being sprinkled with tabloid stardust, his feet have hardly touched tinsel. An instant single release, several photo-shoots and television appearances later, he is only now sitting down to discuss the direction of his album release.

Beginning as a rank outsider in the ITV talent show, he beat the operatic maestro Rhydian (we know all the competitors by their Christian names), not to mention 150,000 other hopefuls, to the X Factor crown last week.

Jackson only started singing at the beginning of this year when his pals, who recognised his gorgeous voice, entered him in a local pub karaoke competition. He won, of course: showbiz legend wouldn't have it any other way. His performances on the television show became increasingly stellar. Although there were complaints of a "fix" in the phone-in competition - strenuously denied by ITV - Jackson took it all in his stride. He looked lucky and, more importantly, he looked as if he were enjoying it. He won over Kylie when they duetted on her own song, Better The Devil You Know, during the final of the show and he has gone on, in true X Factor style, to conquer the world.

Jackson's debut single Believe, a re-written version of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston's When You Believe, was issued on iTunes within minutes of him winning the show. Since being pressed into a hard copy it has become the fastest-selling single of the year, racking up more than 250,000 sales in the first four days of being issued. And after a Christmas No 1 - well there's always Hogmanay. He has been lined up as headliner for the New Year celebrations in Edinburgh.

Jackson adores contemporary jazz and cites one of his influences as Jamie Callum, so his album could be quite different from his single and his performances on The X Factor. Singing is not his only passion: he is a karate black belt - and if he hadn't been triumphant on the show, he would be starting university to undertake an architectural technology course.

Despite a £1 million record deal, he remains grounded: an only child living at home with his mother. In true pop tyro style, he promises to use his new-found wealth to buy her a house.