As Diana Vickers makes a comeback, what has the Lancashire star been up to since The X Factor?

The Lancashire singer Diana Vickers has released her first single in over a decade.

Now 34, Diana first came to the public’s attention 17 years ago when she made a name for herself as one of the most unique contestants to do well on ITV’s The X Factor.

Following her return to the music industry, we thought we’d take the opportunity to look back at Diana’s life so far...

Early life

Diana was born in Blackburn on July 30 July 1991 to Ann, a manager at Marks & Spencer, and Edwin, an independent financial consultant.

She grew up in Huncoat, Accrington and has a yougner sister called Charlotte.

Diana attended Westholme School in Blackburn where she studied for A Levels in Theatre Studies, Classics and Psychology.

Outside of school, she took dance lessons, singing lessons, learned to play the piano and trumpet, and particiapted in local competitions.

Career beginnings with The X Factor

Aged 16, Diana auditioned for the ITV talent show The X Factor, appearing on the show’s fifth series in 2008.

Diana got through to the live shows and was mentored by Girls Aloud star Cheryl Cole in the girls category.

She was voted out of the competition during the semi-finals coming in fourth place behind Eoghann Quigg (3rd), JLS (2nd) and Alexandra Burke (winner).

As part of The X Factor Finalists 2008, Diana released a cover of ‘Hero’ that year which went to number 1 in the UK charts, reaching double platinum status.

Post X Factor career

Two years after The X Factor, Diana released her first solo single called ‘Once’ in 2008 which got to number 1 in the UK charts and was certified silver.

The album ‘Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree’ reached number 1 and was certified gold.

That year she also released the singles ‘The Boy Who Murdered Love’ and ‘My Wicked Heart’ which reached number 36 and 13 respectively.

Diana, having parted ways with her record company RCA Records in 2011, then released her second album under ‘Music to Make Boys Cry’ in 2013 with the label So Recordings.

It reaced number 37 in the UK album charts and spawned two singles - ‘Cinderella ‘(reached numer 76) and ‘Music to Make Boys Cry’ (failed to chart).

For the next twelve years, Diana focused on acting, comedy and podcasting instead of music.

She has starred in three films- The Perfect Wave (2014, Awaiting (2015) and To Dream (2016)- as well as three TV shows: Give Out Girls (2014), Top Coppers (2015) and Not Going Out (2025).

Diana has also had a successful theatre career, first appearing as the lead in the West End prodcuction ‘The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice’ in 2009-2010, she went on to star in ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ (ATG Tour), ‘Hatched n Dispatched’ (Park Theatre); ‘Dial M for Murder’ (UK tour); ‘Steel Magnolias’ (UK tour). Ki and Dee – On The Sesh (Edinburgh Fringe Festival); ‘The Duck House (Vaudeville Theatre); ‘The Entertainer, I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical, Myth, Son of A Preacher Man, Big’ (Theatre Royal Plymouth); and most recently ‘I Wish You Well -The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski-Trial Musical’ (Criterion Theatre).

Since 2022, Diana and her bestfriend and housemate Chaira Hunter have hosted ‘Ki and Dee: The Podcast’ which currently holds a rating of 4.7 stars on Apple Podcasts.

Just this summer, Diana also launched a new poducast with Metro’s sex and love columnist Alice Giddings, called ‘Just between us: Metro News Podcast’.

Finally after 12 years, Diana returned to music last month, releasing her first original song since 2013, called ‘Ice Cream’.

Describds as a “a musical love letter to the gays and the girlies”, the song has reached 177 in the charts but promotion for the single continues.

Announcing the song back in August, Diana wrote on Instagram: “’Hi, I’m back… did you miss me?’

“Pop music called,said it was running low on summer bangers.

“So I’m here to serve #icecream 🍦👅”