X Factor 3 Preview - Kerry McGregor

Kerry McGregor
Manager – Sharon Osbourne
Odds – 28/1 (Outright), 10/1 (25 & Over Winner)

Kerry McGregor is 31 years old, from West Lothian and is a full time single mother to 18 month year old Joshua. She is a paraplegic and uses a wheelchair and crutches after breaking her back at the age of 13 after falling out of a tree.

She is very close to her mother who she describes as her ‘backbone'. Her father was run over and killed by a drink driver when she was six years old. Her experiences and courage was rewarded with a Child of Achievement Award in 1988.

Kerry comes from a musical background and is no stranger to the music industry. Her grandfather was known as the Scottish "Bing Crosby" and she entered the Song for Europe, coming second. Her entry "Yodel In The Canyon Of Love", lost out to Katrina And The Waves.

Kerry has also had a record deal in the past and reached number 21 in the charts with a song called "Freedom". She has also had some acting experience and played Carol-Ann in the Channel 4 show "The Book Group" in 2003 and featured in a Radio 3 play called "Peeling" which was about disabilities.

Kerry auditioned for the X Factor in Glasgow and sung Maria McKee's "Show Me Heaven". All three judges were impressed by her with Simon Cowell complimenting her with: "good voice, good song choice – yes". Louis Walsh was also convinced and said: "good voice - sounds like you mean it. Yes" and Sharon Osbourne made it three in a row with: "great voice, great face. Yes".

At bootcamp Kerry sang "Something" by The Beatles and "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" by Dusty Springfield. Judge Mark Hudson described her as "beautiful inside and out" but fellow critic Adrian Williams did not think she was as good as the contestants. Sharon agreed with this sentiment but argued she had "a great aura about her".

The performance that convinced the judges that Kerry was worthy of inclusion in the final 12 was at the judge's house where she sang "You've Got A Friend" by Carole King.

Adrian said that he had been negative about her during the bootcamp but this this performance had persuaded him she was finals material. He felt this was the best he'd seen her perform and while he still thought she was not as good a singer as some of the other female contestants he liked her. Sharon said Kerry's eyes sparkled while she sang and she was won over by her lust for life.