A former Big Brother reject has been spotted having another crack at fame by auditioning for The X Factor.
Simon Gross only managed a couple of hours inside the Big Brother house back in 2015, before he was evicted as part of the shock Timebomb task.
But now the self-proclaimed ‘Mr Showbiz’ is clearly ready to have another go, as he was spotted in the queue for X Factor auditions at London’s O2 this weekend.
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And the understated wallflower managed to stand out amongst the thousands of other wannabes, wearing a sparkly gold suit and prancing around with the show’s sign for the cameras.
Presenter Dermot O’Leary got wind of Simon’s presence and made a beeline for him in the queues, apparently telling him he was just what this new series needed.
And according to a friend, 47-year-old Simon could go far – as he is a “triple threat”.
“What a lot of people don’t really realise is Simon is actually very talented,” the friend told The Mirror.
“He is what’s known as a triple threat. He can sing, dance and act.
“Most people know him for just shouting ‘Showbiz’ and appearing on Big Brother but he hopes to be able to show his real talent which has been hidden until now.”
Simon had auditioned for The X Factor in the past and not made it through, and hoped his stint in the Big Brother house in 2015 would launch his career.
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But he was evicted that very first night – telling host Emma Willis: “Darling I’ve had so many rejections in my career, this is just one of many, it’s all showbiz.”
He did eventually make it back to the house, where his bitching and backstabbing saw him branded a “two-faced snake” by other housemates. Which could mean that he fits in quite well with those X factor judges…