X Factor runner-up Rhydian Roberts appeared on Real Radio Wales’ breakfast show this week to speak out on the furore that surrounded Saturday's shock result.

From his 'hideaway' Rhydian said; “I’m actually living in a cottage at the moment in Oxfordshire to separate myself from the press. How I see it is it's obviously a technical fault on the night and it might have affected all three competitors, I can't really complain." Expressing his feelings of when he heard the final result Rhydian continued; “I was really disappointed, I actually shed a tear.” But he believes it was possibly a good thing he lost and said “my career could work out better for it.”

Credit where it's due, it seems young Rhydian was pretty diplomatic in the interview. He responded to Tony Wright's suggestion that Rhydian would last longer in the music biz than Leon with: “Maybe so, he’s a talented boy and has his niche with Swing music. I wish him the best of luck.”

"There was something in the press quoting me as saying I was disappointed and it was all a fix and something from my Dad. I can categorically say that I have not said any of that. I’ve stayed well clear; it’s not what I believe.” He continued: “The only disappointing thing for us as a family was that they got my Dad's age wrong; they said he was 60, so he’s livid: He’s 58!”

But didn't he 'snub' the after-show party, as all the red-tops reported? “To be honest with you Tony, it was because I wanted to spend some time with the family and I was absolutely drained at the end of it. I’d been with those people for 12 weeks. It wasn’t through.. [hesitates].. perhaps I should have gone; I was with the family and do you know what we went to see? The Snowman and an orchestra playing in London, slightly more low key. It’s Leon’s week and he should be celebrating and I don’t want people coming up to me saying ‘you were robbed’, although it’s nice, I didn’t want to pull focus.”

This was Rhydian's first interview since the final, and when Angela Jay asked if there was a message he wanted to give to listeners of Real Radio Wales, he said: "I just want to say thanks so much to any body who have believed in me, supported me or picked up the phone and voted. I said on the show, and Dermot said ‘it’s not that expensive’, but it is expensive to vote and I appreciate that. There have been supporters who voted 40 or 50 times. It’s not cheap and that really is overwhelming and I am very flattered that people took the time and effort to do that.”

He ended by saying, “All I can say is I want to put that all behind me now. My life is going to go on and I fully intend to record an album so watch this space and thanks so much to everybody."

He's a good lad really.

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