SundayMirror
26 March 2006
Star's 47th floor penthouse
IT wasn't too long ago that X Factor's Shayne Ward earned his pennies flogging shoes in a shopping centre.
But how times have changed for the hunky singer...
I can reveal Shayne has bought his first home - and it's much bigger than a shoebox. The X Factor winner - aged just 21 - splashed out a whopping £1million on a luxury penthouse suite in one of England's tallest buildings.
The Beetham Tower, in the centre of his home city of Manchester, is still being built and Shayne has already paid a £100,000 deposit.
I'm told that Shayne, with long-term love Fay McKeever, 20, is counting the days before he can move in. My spy tells me: "Shayne's absolutely thrilled with the flat. He couldn't believe in his wildest dreams that he would have a penthouse in such an incredible place.
"It really is a dream come true. He can't wait to move in."
Other stars believed to be ready to invest in the new construction include Man Utd footballers Ryan Giggs, Louis Saha and Gary Neville. From his 47th floor penthouse, Shayne will be able to see as far afield as Blackpool Tower to the north, Liverpool 38 miles away and the Welsh Mountains.
And what a rise to the top for Shayne. More than 11million people voted for him to become the winner of The X Factor last year. His debut single That's My Goal went straight to No1, taking the Christmas top-spot and making it the second biggest selling single of 2005.
Last week he returned from Los Angeles after filming the video for his Beetham Tower second single No Promises, released on April 10. The lovely lad also splashed out £200,000 on a home for his mum and I'm told he's planning a special treat for her on Mother's Day. What a boy!
