Sunday, 11 March 2007

Ray Quinn: I call Simon Cowell 'Dad'

The X Factor runner-up is having a great time

When Ray Quinn was chucked off The X Factor last year in the early rounds, he burst into tears. Luckily he was reinstated by Simon Cowell, who had a change of heart.

Sharon Osbourne originally dismissed him as ‘panto boy’ but eventually she also fell for his cheeky charms.

The 18-year-old has just completed his debut album at Capitol Studios in California and popped in for dinner with the Osbournes at their LA home.

‘Sharon has about 90 dogs running around and the meal was huge, like nothing I’ve ever seen before,’ he reveals in Weekend magazine.

‘Their son Jack came in and said hello and he seemed really cool. I almost pinched myself to check I wasn’t dreaming and was really there.

‘Sharon’s so cool, she’s like a mummy to me.’

As Ray refers to Simon Cowell as ‘Dad’, he has an interesting pair of professional parents.

It’d make a great sitcom. We can just imagine Mrs O tucked up in bed with Mr Cowell – both with rollers in their hair - and young Ray bringing them breakfast.