Evans-sent opportunity toget the mas No1
Former Scotland international Thom Evans has been belting out boyband tunes for years.. but now his teenage dream of appearing on a talent show – and maybe even landing a record deal – is coming true with his Try Star band
THOM Evans used to get heckled by his team-mates when he belted out boyband tunes in the Glasgow Warrior bus after rugby games – but now the 34-year-old former Scotland international could have a shot at this year’s Christmas No1.
Tonight, Thom and his rugby boyband Try Star will audition in Los Angeles in front of Simon Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger and Louis Walsh on X Factor: Celebrity.
At stake is a record deal and the chance to have the festive top spot.
Thom said: “It’s a possibility I could become a pop star, which is a bit surreal.”
Try Star is made up of Thom, his school pal and former England rugby player Ben Foden, 34, and Bath winger Levi Davis, 21. They will perform No Diggity, the 1996 hit by Blackstreet that featured Dr Dre.
On paper, it sounds bonkers but Thom insists they are in it to win it.
He said: “We want to do ourselves justice. When we were told the concept of the show, which was to offer someone the chance of the Christmas No1 and a record deal, I couldn’t believe it.
“I wouldn’t be doing the show if it was just to take the mickey. We are three rugby lads singing and dancing. What’s not to love?”
Also singing tonight will be a Love Island supergroup made up of Wes Nelson, Zara McDermott, Eyal Booker and Samira Mighty, Cole and Edwards (ex-Strictly pro Brendan and Hollyoaks actor Jeremy), Princess Diana interview journalist Martin Bashir and David Hasselhoff’s daughter Hayley, who will perform Lewis Capaldi’s Someone You Loved.
More celebrity acts will audition next Saturday, after which the judges will select the acts for the live shows. It will then be up to viewers to vote for their favourites and the first X Factor: Celebrity winner will be announced next month.
Thom briefly tasted the popstar lifestyle as a 19-year-old, when he was in a boyband called Twen2y4Se7en. They released some singles and supported Westlife, McFly and Peter Andre in 2004.
He said: “I did the group because my best mate had a record deal and one of the lads dropped out. He asked if I’d give it a go for a year and then go back to rugby.”
Thom also revealed he and Ben had H teamed up on the singing front before. e said: “I’ve known Ben since we were 16. We used to sing together in the back of one of our parents’ cars on the way to rugby trials. We’d sing any boyband song that was in the charts at the time.
“Our dream back then was to do Pop Idol. But rugby took over and I never got to fulfil the dream. So now that I am, it feels like fate.”
Thom, who was in Strictly Come Dancing in 2014, added: “I’ve always loved to sing and always loved to dance. And in rugby culture singing is quite prominent – we were always singing on the buses coming back from games.”
While Thom once supported Westlife, viewers shouldn’t expect ballads from Try Star.
He said: “I will be bringing my salsa hip action to the performance. Levi is a great dancer and Ben can move too.
“We aren’t going to be the kind of boyband that sits around. Chairs have been banished. We want to do Usher-style uptempo stuff that is upbeat and a crowd pleaser.”
Thom, who once dated model Kelly Brook, admitted he’d consider getting out his famous six-pack on the show.
He said: “Never say never. But we want to let the singing and performance do the talking rather than our six-packs.”
Thom reckons “young pup” Levi has the best voice.
He said: “He’s got a lovely, soulful sound. But our three voices complement each other. When we sang together for the first time, we all realised we have got something potentially special here.”
Thom added: “I hope Scotland can get behind us and vote if we get through to the live shows.
“My rugby pals are already texting and the banter has started. They’ve heard me singing, so I’m used to getting heckles.
“I’d expect nothing less and deep down I know they wish they were in my shoes and singing on the show.”
The X Factor: Celebrity is on STV at 8.35pm tonight.