Shropshire Star

Telford teen Owen wows judges on X Factor

A Telford teenager received a standing ovation on television talent show X Factor as he made it through to the next round.

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Budding rock singer Owen 'Ozzy' Mathews, 17, strolled onto the stage and chatted with Robbie Williams before performing Trouble by Elvis Presley.

The former Newport's Burton Borough School student said hello to Robbie and he replied asking why he had chosen him, Ozzy said "I think you're ace", and Robbie joked "well, that's a yes from me".

The judges asked Ozzy's age and were shocked he is just 17, and Robbie Williams's wife Ayda Field joked saying she was surprised someone so young is a fan of Robbie.

When he told the judges what he was going to sing Simon Cowell replied "well Elvis was the king - good luck."

Owen Matthews

The teenager had Robbie Williams on his feet singing within seconds with his deep vocals and arm-swinging.

He received a "yes" from the celebrity panel of judges Simon Cowell, Robbie Williams and wife Ayda Field and Louis Tomlinson of One Direction fame.

SImon Cowell started off the responses from the judges by saying: "I think you're fantastically nuts and I love that. Let me kick this off - it's a yes."

Louis Tomlinson added: "Ozzy well done it's a yes from me."

Ayda Field said: "I think you've got something fun going on, you're definitely different, it's a yes from me."

And finally Robbie added to the praise by saying: "Yes from me brother!"

Simon Cowell can be heard saying "he's hilarious" as Ozzy thanked everyone and ran off the stage.

Ozzy, who lists Elvis Presley and Freddie Mercury among his musical idols, appeared on the ITV show tonight after making it through the tricky backstage auditions.

Ozzy, who lives in Horton, was invited to sing at Wembley Arena after impressing the show's producers with his video and off-camera auditions earlier this year.

The Shrewsbury College language student was featured on this week's X Factor advert singing Trouble in tribute to Elvis.