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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Kyle O'Sullivan

X Factor star Diana Vickers' transformation and night alone with Leonardo DiCaprio

Everyone remembers where they were when Diana Vickers tearfully left The X Factor.

Known for her trademark 'bird nest' hairstyle, a 17-year-old Diana was told she looked like a "little hippy" by judge Louis Walsh when she auditioned with Damien Rice's The Blower's Daughter in 2008.

The Blackburn-born teenager sailed through the next few stages of the competition and was one of the favourites to win heading in the live shows, despite stiff competition from the likes of JLS and Alexandra Burke.

Simon Cowell branded her performance style "Marmite" and her unusual hand gestures while singing led to her being labelled "The Claw".

At the time, Diana told the Mirror: "Some people have such a problem with me, I am like a magnet to it all. But I would rather people adore me or despise me than go 'she's all right' as that’s boring."

She faced tough challenges along the way, missing out on performing in week five after contracting laryngitis as doctors warned she could do permanent damage to her vocal chords.

Despite having a boyfriend at the time, rumours began to swirl that Diana was having a secret romance with a fellow contestant - Northern Irish teen Eoghan Quigg.

Diana was known for her trademark look and stunning voice (Ken McKay / Rex Features)
Diana finished in fourth place in 2008 (ITV)

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The pair got close while living in The X Factor house, were snapped sharing a passionate kiss, and Simon even referred to them as "just a couple of kids in love".

Their bond was clear to see when Diana was dramatically dumped from the competition just one week before the final and finished in fourth place.

After being voted out, Diana went back on stage for one last rendition of Dido's 'White Flag', but her performance stopped before the end of the song when a sobbing Eoghan rushed on stage to give her a massive hug.

"She's a really lovely girl and we have got a strong bond together. We'll just have to wait and see what happens," he said at the time when asked about their relationship.

However, Eoghan was said to have been "gutted" when Diana decided to stop any romance so she could concentrate on her career.

"Right now, I'm not going to think about anything like that," she said of her relationship with Eoghan, but did admit she wanted to see him more.

"I don't know what's going to happen. There's a difference between loving each other and being in love. I love him to bits."

The pair were pictured sharing a kiss after the final show (PA)

A few months later, Eoghan admitted he was no longer in contact with Diana and was a "single pringle now".

"We were really really good friends, but there wasn't a relationship like everyone thought there was," he explained. "But there wasn't. We're not in touch now as I'm really, really, really busy."

Meanwhile, Diana went on tour with the other final eight contestants then used her fourth place to forge a career in the music industry.

She bagged the lead role in The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice in the West End and then released two albums, Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree in 2010 and Music To Make Boys Cry in 2013.

When asked by the BBC about her stronger voice, Diana said: "I was really well trained. I learnt how crucial your body is - that it does the bulk of the work, not your throat.

"But the other thing was, on the X Factor I was petrified. It was like watching Bambi learning how to walk.

"I was on that stage, and I wanted to be there, and I really wanted to enjoy it, but sometimes it was so hard because I was so little and so nervous. I was always the one being sick in the toilet."

Diana Vickers performing in her West End acting debut - The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (PA)
Diana turned to acting on the stage (PA)

Diana started rubbing shoulders with Hollywood A-listers - even spending a night alone with Leonardo DiCaprio.

In an episode of Celebrity Karaoke Club in October 2020, Diana spilled all on her cosy evening with the Titanic heartthrob.

However, her fellow contestants were shocked to discover that absolutely nothing happened between them and they simply "watched the telly".

Diana said: "I have a lot of stories but I'm just going to say one. The best one - I've been on a night out with Leonardo DiCaprio. That's my best one.

"I was more like hanging out with his friends and then I got a message being like 'oh come back, Leo, he's having a vibe' and I thought it was going to be all Wolf Of Wall Street, like a massive thing. And I got back there and it was [just the two of us].

"It was very chilled and we just ended up watching telly!"

The singer also entered the world of fashion designer producing a debut line in 2011, embracing her love of boho-chic and vintage inspired clothing.

Diana Vickers in the Rocky Horror Show (Publicity handout)
Diana transformed her look (PA)

Diana also has a number of acting credits, landing her debut film role in 2014 indie movie The Perfect Wave alongside Clint Eastwood's son.

Her stage show credits include comedy play The Duck House, and the Rocky Horror Show UK tour and she also appeared in Sky sitcom Give Out Girls.

She won a West End theatre award and played the lead in brand new musical Son Of A Preacher Man, inspired by the Dusty Springfield song of the same name.

Diana also starred alongside Shane Richie in the 2019 tour production of The Entertainer and played a version of herself in Josh Widdicombe's comedy series Josh.

The singer has also found time to work with anti-bullying campaigns and helped raise money for Oxfam and young cancer sufferers.

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