Colchester's X Factor star Stevi Ritchie has admitted Simon Cowell laughed when he asked the music mogul for a job.

Stevi, 34, who was voted off the ITV contest on Sunday night, says he went cap in hand to Cowell’s dressing room after the show.

Cowell had voted to save the former Stanway School pupil, but it was a different story minutes later.

He said: “I saw Simon in his dressing room and he said he was going to genuinely miss me.

"I said: ‘I’d love to work for you, Simon,’ and he was laughing. So I don’t know, who knows what’s going to happen?

“One thing I’ve learnt in this business is you don’t take anything for granted. If things are meant to happen, they happen for a reason.

“But I love Simon, he’s a lovely fella, he’s a friend of mine as far as I’m concerned, and I really hope we stay in touch.”

Full story in today's Daily Gazette