Joy in South Shields as X Factor winner Joe McElderry returns

Dec 17 2009 by Laura Caroe, The Journal

THOUSANDS of fans flocked to South Shields to meet X Factor star Joe McElderry where he was signing copies of his new single yesterday.

Security was stepped up in and around the singer’s home town as people queued outside HMV to meet him.

Only official ticket-holders were allowed in to see him and some had queued since 8pm the night before. The 18-year-old said that he couldn’t believe how his life had changed in the last four months. He said: “It feels very very surreal to have won The X Factor and I am still wanting to pinch myself after what has been going on the last few days.

“I just feel like I’m on cloud nine. It still hasn’t sunk in. The reaction has been mental – there were loads of people at the airport and at the back of the shop so it has been pretty crazy.

“At the moment I am just happy to have a single out but to get to number one would be absolutely amazing.

“I wouldn’t say I’m a pop star yet, I still have a lot of hard work to do.

“I can’t thank everyone enough who supported us.

“I don’t know where the claims that I’m going to Hollywood have come from, but I’m happy to go if they will have me. But I’d never lose my Geordie accent, Hollywood can take it or leave it.”

Former mentor Cheryl Cole has kept in touch with Joe to check how he is doing since his win on Sunday.

He said: “She has been texting me this week and has been really supportive. She has been asking how I have been and what has gone on since the final.

“I never expected anything like this, I thought they would tell me to get lost after the first audition. Four months ago I was at college and now I have a record deal. I can’t believe it.”

Dozens of teenagers crowded outside the store in the hope of catching a glimpse of Joe.

Eighteen-year-old Chelsea Allan, from South Shields, said she was chuffed to have met Joe. She said: “It was absolutely amazing. I said to him ‘Joe I love you’ and he just said ‘thank you’. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet him.”

Tammy Nicholls, 19, from South Shields, said it was amazing to finally see Joe in the flesh. She said: “I have been watching him since the beginning and I’m over the moon he has won. I was so dedicated to coming to see him that I came down here at about 5am.

“It was very exciting to finally meet him. I love his new single and really hope that he might get the Christmas number one.”

Superintendent Derek Scott praised the fans and said: “The fans behaved extremely well and there was no disorder or disruption throughout the day.”

However, a perfect week may still end anticlimactically for Joe.

Bookies last night made Rage Against The Machine favourite to take the Christmas No1 slot in what is seen as a backlash against The X Factor phenomenon and the show’s supremo Simon Cowell.

Last night Rage Against The Machine had a lead of 60,000 sales – though Joe’s song could still make that up by the end of the weekend.

For a video of Joe McElderry's return to South Shields yesterday, go to www.journallive.co.uk