Edinburgh is set to play host to former X-Factor winner Joe McElderry after he shared that there was "no chance" he would appear on the TV competition again.
The singer shot to fame in 2009 after he managed to win Simon Cowell's talent show, and has now launched a comeback tour throughout the UK. Celebrating the works of George Michael, Joe will be performing a series of the music icon's tracks, arriving at Edinburgh's Festival Theatre for one night only on October 17.
However, reflecting on his time on the X Factor, the 31-year-old shared he would not want to repeat his appearance on the show despite 'loving it' at the time.
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Speaking about the whirlwind, he said: "I have to say, I loved my time there. I was 18, and very, very young though and – strangely – I think that protected me. I was so naïve and excited to be there, that I lived in a kind of bubble of oblivion, I kept my head down and concentrated on trying very hard to be good.
"Now, knowing what I know there’s not a chance I’d do it! To put it into perspective, we were handed a phone during the series, with a ‘new app called Twitter’, and were told to share little bits of what we were doing, like ‘post a pic of you having a cup of tea’... People forget just how much social media has changed – and how it’s changed society – in those 12 years.
"Something like 19 million people were watching, but the only media we really had was newspapers. We finished the results show on a Sunday night, went back to the house, then into the next week’s rehearsals on Monday morning. You could avoid it all. Now, you just type your name into Twitter and see all sorts of things written about you, and that can be a lot of pressure."
However, the star will be getting back on stages across the country to share his love for George Michael, after the two first duetted together on the show.
Now performing some heartfelt tributes, Joe shared that the experience of singing with the music icon will be something he never forgets.
He added: “To this day I still have to pinch myself that I got to sing with George, it was an absolute honour and privilege and is a memory that will remain with me forever."
Tickets for the FREEDOM tour are now on sale here.
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