[Red Moon]

Leon and Rhyd stay best pals

REALITY star Leon Jackson has already mastered the art of a head-strong celeb - by not paying attention to his own headlines.

The 18-year-old Scot is on everyone's lips after beating red hot favourite Rhydian to The X Factor crown.

But fans of the Welsh crooner have slammed the voting system, suggesting Leon's win was a fix.

Leon said: "I'm slowly digesting everything that has happened and not paying attention to anything else.

"I've been too busy anyway.

"All I can say is I did my best and the voting was out of my hands - the volume of calls was out of this world."

Despite their fans raging war with each other, Leon reckons he and Rhydian are the best of friends.

He said: "I was close to everyone on the show, but definitely Same Difference and Rhyd.

"Especially Rhyd, as we went all the way to the end.

"I'll definitely be staying in touch with him."

The pint-sized singer credits his succes on "learning to lighten up onstage" and not concentrating so much.

He said: "There are always things running through your head when you perform but I blocked them out and started to have fun instead.

"As I started to concentrate less, I smiled more. Before that everyone said I looked blank and scared - but I wasn't."

But the real question we all want to know is, have the female celebs been flocking to the new star?

Leon said: "Yeah... Sonia from EastEnders called me the other day.

"Only joking! But I did enjoy my cuddle from Cheryl when I met Girls Aloud."

Despite following in the footsteps of success stories Leona Lewis and Shayne Ward, Leon is worried his fate may mirror previous winner Michelle McManus instead.

He said: "It would be devastating to be dropped, but the harder you work the more it will hopefully pay off.

"Michelle was unlucky, so maybe luck is involved too.

"Hopefully I can continue the trend of the last two years though."

Leon was quick to defend panto claims, saying the show has given him the best building block to the real world.

He said: "True talents have been born from it. Leona is absolutely phenomenal.

Asked to sum up the whole experience in one sentence, Leon said: "It has been the best experience of my life."

Leon's single When You Believe is out now.

Source: The Sun