X FACTOR hopeful Stevie Ritchie has shot to eighth favourite with one bookmakers after his all-action performance on Sunday night.

Former Stanway School pupil Stevie, 33, sung Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now to 5,000 fans at Wembley Arena.

Judges voted him through to the bootcamp stage of the competition.

Stevie, who works at Start Rescue’s call centre, in North Station Road, Colchester, has been made eighth favourite at 33/1 with Skybet.

Most bookmakers have him a more distant 66/1, somewhere in the top 40 contenders.

Stevie took his daughter Summer, seven, to the audition.

He said: “I want my daughter to be proud and say to her friends that’s my dad. That is priceless.”

Halfway through his audition he took off his blazer and performed some dance moves.

Judge Simon Cowell said: “What I like about you is you are a tryer and I like that.”

Read a full interview with Stevie in tomorrow's Gazette.