CARE worker Joss Baker declared ‘I was too normal for X Factor’ after failing to make the grade at auditions.

She told how she saw hopefuls being sick and shaking with nerves when she attended auditions at the O2 Arena in London.

Joss failed to impress the judges with her rendition of Patsy Cline’s ‘Crazy’ but she tipped pensioner Ronald Payne, 82, for TV stardom after meeting him in the queue.

Joss, 53, who lives in Poundbury, Dorchester, with husband John, said: “People were camping out from 1.30am to get first in the queue.

“Some were being physically sick and others were shaking with nerves. It was definitely their dream to get on X Factor.

“I saw a couple of girls who had been rejected and they were crying their eyes and worrying about how they could tell their friends they hadn’t got through.”

Joss added: “I felt very sad for a lot of the people there.

“The producers had an idea of what they were looking for and what they wanted.

“I didn’t give them a sob story and I wasn’t too upset not to get through.

“I think I was just too normal for X Factor.”

Joss, who recently completed the Flora London Marathon, attended the auditions with her friend Sue Cull from Dorchester. They queued up with thousands of hopefuls before Joss performed in front of two producers.

She was rejected but anyone who did win through had to attend another audition the next day and get through that before appearing in front of Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue later in the week.

Joss said that they met pensioner Mr Payne, from Barking, and Samilya Singh, from Nottingham, in the queue. Samilya was turned away for being too young at 14 but Mr Payne won through to the next round.

Joss said: “It was nerve wracking going before the judges.

“You could feel their eyes on you. They said at the end ‘thanks very much but this time we’re going to say no’.

“I said thank very much, told them it had been great fun and said good luck to everyone else auditioning.”

Joss added: “Ronald told his wife he had gone for an interview and made his own way to the O2 Arena.

“He sang ‘You Made Me Love You’ and was told to come back.

“He was great and I think he will definitely be on programme.”

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