No.1 for Interviews - Rikki Loney
Rikki Loney

Fresh from his X Factor exit, Rikki Loney reveals what it is really like appearing on the world’s biggest reality TV show and why he doesn’t hold Cheryl responsible for being booted off

There is no other TV show that exerts the influence of The X Factor. It has changed the face of the music industry; creating stars and generating record sales – and it does so overnight. It is therefore no wonder why so many are desperate to get on the show, and if they do get on, why none want to leave. Unfortunately for Scottish hopeful Rikki Loney, his X Factor dream ended all too soon. Leaving the live shows after just the second week his exit was plagued with press reports that he blamed his mentor, Cheryl Cole, and her choice of song for the lack of public support. Catching up with him just after leaving the show, it was No.1 that asked him about the reports directly and here is his reaction…

How are you feeling after being voted off the show?
What’s happened has happened and I’m just going to stay positive and see what’s out there. This is a platform that I can work from now.

What was The X Factor experience really like?
It was amazing and I feel so lucky and privileged to have been a part of it and to get that opportunity. Who gets to meet Robbie Williams and Whitney Houston within a week? It was very surreal but wonderful!

What’s it like behind the scenes – any bitching and backbiting?
Everyone genuinely does get on. No one had any problems with anyone else. People keep asking me if the twins are really annoying but they’re not. They’re just really funny.

What was it like working with Cheryl?
It was amazing. I’ve actually just come off the phone to her. She’s just an amazing person and it was great to work with someone who is so down to earth and who had been through exactly the same experience. She was just saying how she has been flooded with calls from people saying that I should never have gone.

You didn’t want to sing the song she chose for you at the weekend. Is it hard knowing that you went out due to a song you didn’t believe in?
It’s hard but I’m trying not to think of it like that. What’s done is done and the future’s out there now and I just need to grab it with both hands.

There are reports circulating that you blame Cheryl, are they true?
Is that what the papers are saying? [Gasps] Never in a million years. That’s b******t! We made the decision together and I wanted to take the risk with the song because I felt that I had to. I didn’t just want to pick safe songs every week so that’s why I agreed to take it on. I don’t blame her in the slightest. That’s made me upset to hear that.

Does Cheryl feel bad about the choice of song?
She just feels that I shouldn’t have gone out.

What are the other judges really like?
Dannii is the best. She is so focused with her acts. We are in and out of her dressing room all the time. Louis is the funniest man ever. He is absolutely hilarious. All he does is swear. Simon is a really lovely guy. A lot of what you see on TV is pantomime. He talks to everyone, he’s a really genuine guy.

There has been a lot of unfavourable press  surrounding some of the contestants. What was it like seeing that happening to the others?
It’s a bit weird but this is the career that we all want and this kind of stuff goes along with it. You just have to ignore it. I don’t read the papers at all because I know that if I see something bad it will just throw me off.

It must be very strange as you are just thrust into a media frenzy.
It’s very surreal. The first time I really experienced it was when we were unveiled as the ‘Final 12’. We went out on the Monday and we just got out the gate and there was hundreds of people taking pictures and grabbing us. It was crazy.

Do press reports like that make it more difficult for you all?
Definitely. If someone writes something quite nasty or something about your personal life that you know isn’t true is really difficult and hurtful but its part of the industry that we’ve joined.

You all lived in a house together. Did anyone have any annoying habits?
Joe sings, full volume, 24/7. That’s all he does! You wake up in the morning and he’s singing a song. You go to bed at night and he’s singing a song! We all had to scream at him to shut up!

Who would you like to see win The X Factor?
I obviously want to stay true to the others in my category so I would love to see Joe or Lloyd win. Outside that I would have to say Stacey. She’s just so down to earth. I think she deserves to win. She really has this aura about her and what you see on TV is just how she is.

How do you think your life will change now?
I think that I’m out there now. I need to just work really hard and see what’s out there for me. I’m not going to take any old opportunity that comes my way I’m going to do something that feels right.

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