ALTHOUGH X Factor hopeful Sami Brookes is out of the running, a Denbighshire artist could still scoop Christmas number one.
A charity single featuring unsigned artists including one of Sami's best friends, Becki Herdman, 24, of Kinmel Bay, will go head to head with the big guns of the ITV reality show for the top slot.
Becki was all set to go to Echo Arena auditions in Liverpool with Sami but had to drop out when she was rushed to hospital.
She said: “It was a nightmare. I was supposed to take Sami with me but I was kept in hospital and she couldn’t go but we persuaded her to go to the Manchester auditions and she was picked and I’m absolutely thrilled for her.
“I had only gone to the hospital to try and get some painkillers to get me through but they stuck a drip in me and kept me in for three days. But this is another chance for me and it would be great if we can race the X Factor single for the top spot because there’s such a lot of talent out there and particularly in the Rhyl area.”
Becki, who works as a karaoke DJ at Aromas in Rhyl, will lend her voice to the single which is being recorded in Howells School in Denbigh to raise funds for inner city communities devastated by the August riots.
She said: “I love the song. It’s a real favourite of mine and Sami is really happy for me that I’m doing this and she’s phoned me up to wish me luck.
“We’re just really good friends and this has given me a second chance after I missed out on the X Factor.
She insisted there was no rivalry between her and Sami, who made it to the live finals of the reality TV show, narrowly losing out on Sunday due to a judges’ decision.
She said: “She is great and that’s the reason people like her, for the same reasons that she’s my best friend. She’s an inspiration to everyone.”