SINGING star Ashford Campbell is trying hard to get used to the screaming fans.
He will have to do so quickly – as the X Factor Tour kicks off in Manchester next month.
The talented singer, from Lowerhouses, is a member of boyband The Risk who will be performing alongside the eight finalists on the nationwide arena tour.
They include Little Mix, the first ever girlband winners of the show, and runners-up Amelia Lily and Marcus Collins.
The show is the UK’s biggest selling arena tour, and Ashford said he knows just how intense the attention is going to get.
"We’ve been gigging constantly since the X Factor finished and the response has been incredible.
"We’ve been chased down the street and we have security guards with us all the time, but we are loving every minute."
He added: "We were at Birmingham Clothes Show at the NEC and performed a song into the crowd and I was getting pulled over."
As well as performing as many gigs as they can to gain valuable experience, the band are now focussing their efforts on the tour.
But they also hope to return to the studio to write some of their own material after the tour finishes in April.
"We’ll continue with the X Factor Tour and however many dates they add and then we’re hoping to look for houses in London whilst continuing our gigs," said Ashford.
Ashford, a former Newsome High School pupil, was given a third chance on the TV talent show.
He auditioned originally as a solo artist, making it through the early stages, and then joined the band Nu-Vibe, put together by the judges.
He was then invited by The Risk to join their group after one of their original members, Ashley Baptiste, quit.
Once Ashford joined the band, Gary Barlow, a judge on the show and member of band Take That, said: "Now I really like you" and "This is a band right here."
Tulisa the band’s mentor, added to the praise by saying: "You seem like you have been a band for 10 years."
lThe XFactor Tour kicks off in Manchester on February 25 and visits most major cities through England and Scotland.
