Royal Armoured Corps News

"Gorgeous" Trooper Ryan has the X Factor

28th August 2007

A South Wales soldier stationed with UK troops in Germany has become the first serving person from the Armed Forces to pass the audition phase of TV reality show X Factor.

Trooper Ryan Idzi had Dannii Minogue swooning all over him in front of millions of TV viewers at the weekend when he appeared on the ITV reality show, now in its fourth series. The show, broadcast on Saturday night, 25 August 2007, saw the 22 year old Welsh soldier, who serves with 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, sing Bill Wither's hit 'Lean on Me'. He impressed all the judges enough to be voted through into the 'Boot Camp' round of the singing contest, with Dannii Minogue even exclaiming on air:

"You're gorgeous; girls will fall over and melt when they see you."

Trooper Idzi's appearance in uniform even impressed the usually blunt judge Simon Cowell, who told the aspiring singing soldier:

"I won't lie to you and tell you it's the best vocal we've had but I think people will really, really like you and that's a start."

Trooper Idzi, a Scimitar Armoured Vehicle driver normally based in Germany, has served on two operational tours in Iraq, the most recent as part of 20th Armoured Brigade:

"Singing has helped me through so many times in Iraq," he said, "in times when I've basically just felt sad and singing is a way of making me happy. The second time I was in Iraq the wagon in front of me was hit by a bomb and I lost two friends. "It messes you up a bit and it did scar me and the nightmares will never go away. That's why I grab every opportunity I can and pursue my dreams."

Trooper Idzi told the press after the show:

"The Army has been amazing and given me time off for the show. I warned them in advance that I was competing and they gave me as much time off as I needed."

Although he is not the first person from the Armed Forces to audition for the X Factor, Trooper Idzi is the first to make it through to the televised rounds. He added:

"I've thought about entering for a while, but my mother and my girlfriend finally convinced me. I sing purely because I like to sing, it's a passion. People at home tell me that I have a good voice, although the Army lads just take the Mick. I try to mimic lots of styles but I mostly listen to Robbie Williams and Frank Sinatra, although I'm told that I sound a bit like Craig David."

There's still some way to go for Trooper Idzi, who first must get through 'Boot Camp'. If he makes it through he'll then be expected to perform live on TV and face the decisions of viewers in a phone in vote-off. But if bookmakers William Hill, who have him as a favourite to win, are anything to go by, he may indeed have the much sought after X Factor:

"Ryan ticks all the boxes," said a spokesman for the bookmaker's. "He looks the part, he is a war hero and he can sing. Ryan must have a fantastic chance of going all the way."

Trooper Idzi added:

"I'm due to go to Afghanistan in the near future and I still plan to go and fight for my country. Singing has always been my hobby and the Army has always been my job. Of course I want to have a number one single and album but if I can do both then I will."

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