By ANDREA MAGRATH

Rock star look: Matt Cardle sports fake tattoos in a new photoshoot as he declares 'I massively compromised myself for X Factor'

His raw talent and good looks won him last year's X Factor crown.

But the experience may not have been as enjoyable for Matt Cardle as his fans have been led to believe.

In a new interview with Look magazine, the 28-year-old declares that he 'massively compromised' himself for the show.


'I have enough to keep me housed and fed': the singer says the £1million recording contract is 'just for television'

'I wore yellow trousers and sang Katy Perry’s Firework for f**** sake!' he says. 'Singing pop songs without my guitar and covered in make-up didn’t sit right.

'I hear people in the street saying: “There’s the guy that won X Factor.” I can’t wait for that to just disappear.'

The singer, currently promoting his new, Gary Barlow-penned single Run For Your Life, has posed for a new photoshoot for the magazine.


Promo trail: The 28-year-old is currently promoting his new single Run For Your Life

Perhaps in an effort to regain some of the edginess he feels he lost after wearing those yellow trousers, Matt sports fake tattoo sleeves in the shoot, staged in a greasy spoon-style cafe.

And far from dining in London's ritziest restaurants since winning the X Factor, this may well be the type of establishment the former painter/decorator still frequents.

'When I got the record deal I got an advance to keep me housed and fed while making my album,' he says, but adds: 'The million pound thing, that’s just for TV.'


'Singing pop songs without my guitar and covered in make-up didn’t sit right': The singer doesn't appear to have much love for the show that made him famous


Cardle does not appear angry at his ex-girlfriend Lauren, who sold her stories to the tabloids in sensational style after being dumped by the rising star during the X Factor series.

'It was all true,' he admits, but asks: 'Did she really need to tell the press that we used to have sex seven times a day? In a way it backfired on her and made me look good!'

Read the full feature in Look Magazine, on sale today.


'Better man': The former heart breaker says he is better at relationships now that he has found love with girlfriend Sarah


Matt Cardle "Run For Your Life" The X Factor 2011 Live Results Show 1



source: dailymail