Читать книгу Union J: The Unauthorised Biography - Rebecca Grey - Страница 16

They were through to the live shows. Finally, the weeks and months of nervous auditioning had resulted in a dream come true – the boys would be taking part in the biggest, most exciting part of The X Factor – the week-by-week phase where they performed live to the nation. Now they were part of the legendary ‘Final 12’. If they thought life had taken a twist in a crazy direction before, they were about to become fully fledged TV superstars, with millions of viewers watching them each week to decide their fate. Would they win over the British public and become the new hot boyband on everyone’s lips, set for storming chart success? Or would they fall at the first hurdle and be voted out straight away, disappearing without trace? At this stage, no one could predict what would happen, but the sheer thrill of being on the show was driving Union J on. Speaking backstage on The X Factor as they recorded the first of their behind-the-scenes interviews, their amazement and happiness shone through.

Firstly, it was time to move into X Factor World full time. In previous years of the show, the finalists had all lived together in a big house rented by the show and located in a suburb of London. This had sometimes caused problems, with neighbours complaining about the hordes of screaming fans congregated outside on the road! So, this year, the show’s producers made a decision – the finalists would move into a hotel. But not just any old place; this was the five-star Corinthia Hotel – a favourite of Rihanna, which dazzled them all with its luxurious glamour. With the hotel located slap-bang in the centre of London, just a short walk away from both the Prime Minister’s home at 10 Downing Street and the Royal Family’s residence at Buckingham Palace, this year’s contestants were in the thick of the action in Britain’s buzzing capital. Each of them would be staying in rooms that cost £500 a night, complete with flat-screen TV in both the room and the bath, rain-dance shower, sumptuous beds and full access to the gym and spa. It was certainly a leap into the big time and a taster of what their life might be like should X Factor final success come their way. Pulling up outside their impressive new home for the next few weeks, the Union J boys couldn’t believe it. Josh even joked to the cameras that this place left his own home in the shade as they walked up the grand steps. Entering their plush new room, George leapt on a bed, claiming the best spot for himself. But the other boys weren’t going to let cheeky George have his way straight away – they laughed as they jumped on the bed too, amazed at their incredible good fortune. This was going to be fun.

But it wasn’t all to be the life of a pampered A-list superstar from now on. There was a lot of work ahead needed to turn the boys into fully fledged pop stars – and there would be rules to follow, too. Almost straight away, the contestants had the mini-bars taken out of their rooms, after Staz Nair from Times Red ended up running naked down a corridor. ‘The contestants have been spoiled with their accommodation and are being waited on hand and foot – but bosses can’t foot the bar bill, especially if they’re going to sink the amount of booze they’re clearly capable of,’ reported the Sun. It was clear that the X Factor producers were not prepared to have bad behaviour giving the show a poor reputation with the other swanky guests. And the Union J boys found that the live shows meant a whole new level of grooming was required, despite their already gorgeous looks. ‘We’ve had [our] eyebrows done, haircuts, facials – we’re getting the star treatment we’re not really used to,’ said George. Stylists also had a field day with Josh – completely restyling his hair and turning the sideswept fringe into a 1950s-style quiff that showed off his incredible cheekbones and piercing eyes. Little did they know this was only the beginning.