COLCHESTER’S Stevi Ritchie has started rehearsals for the X Factor Tour, during which he will travel across the country to perform at some of the UK’s biggest venues.

Stevi, who came sixth in the show last year, will sing three songs during the concerts, which begins on February 13, in Belfast.

Last week, he headed to London to start two weeks of int ense training with the other contestants.

The former Stanway schoolboy, 31, said: “I can’t wait. It’s going to be so good. I’ve got three good numbers, I’m happy.

“A lot of people are doing ballads.

I’m going to go out there and have a good time and get the audience going. I think I’ve got a few people from Colchester coming.

I’m going to enjoy every single moment I’m on stage.”

Stevi’s daughter, Summer, is also due to be in the crowd on one of the nights, along with the rest of his family.

The singers will perform up to two shows a day at a number of cities, including Nottingham, Cardiff, Birmingham and Aberdeen.

The tour will finish with three nights at the O2 in London in the third week of March.

The singers will travel between the shows on a huge tour bus.

Stevi said: “It will be like living like a pop star. I can’t wait to do it.

It’s going to be so surreal.”

Stevi is most excited about returning to Birmingham, where he went for his first X Factor audition, and Wembley, where he first sang in front of an audience in the competition and where he performed during the season final in December.

He said: “That’s where it started and ended.

“I’m going to go out there and bring 100 per cent energy to the performance.”