Bad Lashes eye up top spot

Nov 2 2008 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

THEY’VE been booted off The X Factor . . . but Bad Lashes are set to be top of the pops today.

The Bad Lashes babes — friends from Durham and Hartlepool, Stacey Lincoln, 20, Sophie Wilson, 23, Emily McNamee, 19, and Sam Bennett, 21 — were devastated when they became the first of the 12 acts to be voted off the ITV talent show three weeks ago.

But their tears have now turned to cheers because Hero — the X Factor charity song the girls recorded with the rest of the show’s contestants — is today set to storm to the top of the charts.

The fundraising song, a cover of Mariah Carey’s hit, was recorded several weeks ago but was performed for the very first time on the show on October 25. More than 100,000 copies, including downloads, were sold within two days of its release.

And the song is tipped to become one of the biggest-selling releases of the decade, making it a certainty for the number one position tonight, replacing Girls Aloud and their new single, The Promise.

Proceeds from the single will be split between the Help for Heroes Fund, which helps servicemen and women injured in the line of duty, and the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.

Christine McNamee, mum of Bad Lashes songstress Emily, said the girls had a fantastic time recording the chart-topping tune.

Proud Christine, of Durham, said: “Emily said it was a great experience to be part of the Hero song . . . they are part of a number one record even though they were voted off.

“They’ve done a video shoot for the song too, and will be doing another video for it in London soon as well.

“It’s been all go for them and they are loving every minute of it.”

Despite losing out in the show the girls have been busier than ever, with a hectic schedule of promotional appearances across they country.

Last week alone they performed for top WAG Coleen McLoughlin, her footy star hubby Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard’s wife Alex Curran and a host of other celebrities as the special guests at a cancer charity night in Manchester.

They also turned the Christmas lights on at Manchester’s Trafford Centre, alongside George Sampson, who won the Britain’s Got Talent show .

And they’ll repeat the festive duty tomorrow night at Gateshead’s MetroCentre.

Christine said: “They were so upset when they didn’t get to stay in the X Factor a little while longer but, with hindsight, I believe everything happens for a reason.

“They took cards down to London for Simon Cowell and the other judges when they filmed the video for Hero, to say thank you for the fantastic opportunity they were given . . . and it has already opened doors for them.”

Page 2: Mum of Bad Lashes girl to appear on TV