19 December 2005
Mirror
By Fiona Cummins Showbiz Reporter
X-FACTOR EXCLUSIVE: I'M JUST XSTATIC, SAYS SHAYNE
JUBILANT X Factor winner Shayne Ward yesterday revealed the inspiration behind his success - mum Philomena.
With a new life, a £1million recording contract and a Christmas No1 beckoning, the stunned 21-year-old is ecstatic - and quick to thank his family, friends, fans and mentor Louis Walsh.
But in his first interview since Saturday's nailbiter, he told the Daily Mirror his mum was his driving force.
He said: "The reason I'm doing all of this is for my mum. She deserves the best. She brought up seven kids. She can relax now and not stress out every Saturday anymore."
Dedicating the victory to her, he added: "She can say, 'My son's done it for me'. I'm going to buy her a new house now.""
Modest Shayne yesterday recalled the build up to his big performance. "I was really nervous. I was thinking, 'All the performances I've done - that's nothing now. This is the one'. But when I got on the stage, the crowd were fantastic. They build you up."
But he was staggered when host Kate Thornton announced his victory, believing eventual runner-up Andy Abraham, 41, or brothers Andy and Carl Pemberton, of Journey South, would come first.
"I was petrified," he grinned. "I just wanted her to say my name but I kept saying to Louis, 'I'm going, I'm going'. It was a shock when my name got read out."
Walsh, who gave his protege £10,000 of jewellery after the win, will continue to manage Shayne. The winning star said he owed everything to the Irish judge.
"Louis kept saying to me, when he gave me a song, 'Work on it and don't let anything else get in the way or bother you' and that's exactly what I did. When you really want something, you won't stop until you get it. I'm just so thankful Louis believed in me a lot."
Thrilled Shayne is also determined not to sink from trace like last year's winner Steve Brookstein, who claimed it was better to come second like his runners-up, G4.
"What happened to Steve was unfortunate, but just because it happened to him, it doesn't mean it's going to happen to me," said Shayne. "Hopefully, it will go right."
Shayne had to overcome family heartache to take the crown. His father Martin, 50, is serving an eight-year prison term for rape. Shayne has no plans to visit him.
Seven years ago, his brother, also called Martin, was charged with murdering a pregnant woman but later cleared. And on Wednesday, Philomena was arrested after a pub brawl and released on bail.
But Shayne, who has two other brothers and three sisters, insists: "The family just stick together - we rise above it. It's all hurtful, but our main focus was the show." Incredibly, Shayne let slip he only entered at his family's insistence.
He said: "I wasn't going to, but they said 'Go for it', so I did.""
Now, they can look forward to Shayne having a Christmas No1. Record stores have already ordered 750,000 advance copies of his debut single That's My Goal, which comes out on Wednesday.
"It's a great song and I'm really happy to say it's my song, it's my debut single. It would be nice to have the No1," he said.
Shayne, who used to sell shoes, began a whirlwind promotional tour yesterday. He has already recorded an appearance for Christmas Day's Top of the Pops - and his second single and album is out in March.
"I don't know my timetable yet, but it's going to be busy," he said.
He will get a couple of days off over Christmas to catch up with his family and girlfriend Faye McKeever, 20. But he denies he will be proposing, adding: "We're too young to get married." He is also hoping for a new salary to go with his new life.
During X Factor, he got £150 a week, saying: "Fingers crossed, there'll be some more coming in."
But he added: "It's not all about the money and the fame. I entered X Factor because I love singing. I was doing workingmen's clubs and pubs before and I loved that. But this is a dream.""
As for musical direction, Shayne, who beat Andy by just 1.2 per cent of the vote, is open-minded. "I want to try every type of music," he said.
Walsh, who manages G4 and Girls Aloud, said: "Shayne has the potential to be Robbie Williams or Will Young. The sky's the limit."
There's no doubt charming, charismatic Shayne is heading for the big time. But he will never forget his first big break on X Factor.
"The first time I walked on the stage and I saw the crowd and the judges, I thought to myself, 'Wow, I've done it'," he said humbly.
"It's something I shall never forget ... ever."
