SINGER BLASTS HIT SERIES

NEW singing star Tom Walker says he would rather work in Tesco than enter “unhealthy” talent show The X Factor.

The former busker is making a big name for himself across Europe thanks to breakthrough hit Leave A Light On.

His apparent “overnight success” aided by a Sony Bravia TV advert has actually been the result of years of hard work.

Tom told me: “I would rather work in Tesco than enter The X Factor. Shows like that just don’t interest me.

“People talk about me and Rag’n’Bone Man having overnight success but we’ve been building for a few years and I think that’s the healthy way to do it.

“What I do think is really unhealthy is shows like X Factor when one minute nobody knows who you are and the next minute you are so famous.”

Leave A Light On is still in the top 10 of the Singles Chart eight months after being released. Tom, who recently toured the US with The Script, will play 35 festivals this year and has just announced his own UK headline tour.

But he’s not getting carried away just yet…

He said: “Getting signed is almost the easy bit.

“It’s keeping your record deal and keeping your sanity as your career progresses that’s the hard thing.

“It can be a hard industry. I can see how quickly things can spiral out of control from being fun to being unhappy.

“I’m not sure I’m mentally strong or grounded enough for this industry but I do think the people around me are.

“I have a great group of friends, family and my girlfriend Annie, who would be quick to tell me if I’m being a d**k head.

“Annie is amazing. I talk about the latest stats for my single and she rolls her eyes and tells me to shut up.”

Tom’s debut album, What A Time To Be Alive, is available for pre-order.