X FACTOR star Diana Vickers has told of her excitement at landing a top role in a sparkling new musical.

Diana, who hails from Huncoat and was a semi-finalist in the hugely popular ITV talent contest in 2008, will tour the nation in ‘Son of a Preacher Man’ from September.

The 25-year-old, who attended Blackburn’s Westholme School, will play Kat in the new production.

Directed and choreographed by ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ judge Craig Revel Horwood, the show features the enduringly popular songs of Dusty Springfield.

Diana said on Twitter: “Very excited to announce that I will be starring in the new stage show of ‘Son of a Preacher Man’.”

Her next role is the latest success in a career that took off after she wowed the X Factor judges nine years ago.

Her debut album, ‘Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree’, topped the charts, as did her first single, ‘Once’.

Diana made her professional acting debut in the West End version of ‘The Rise and Fall of Little Voice’, while in 2013 she had a role in ‘The Duck House’, a skit on the MP expenses scandal, alongside the comic actor Ben Miller.

Her TV and film credits include ‘The Perfect Wave’, ‘Awaiting’, ‘To Dream’, Give Out Girls’ and ‘Top Coppers’.

‘Preacher Man’ will receive its world premiere in Bromley this September, moving to Manchester later that month.

The tour will also head to Blackpool next March.

The musical is set in a swinging 1960s joint in Soho and features such well-known Dusty Springfield tunes as ‘The Look of Love’, ‘Spooky’, ‘I Only Want to be with You’ and, of course, ‘Son of a Preacher Man’.

Diana was studying theatre, classics and psychology at A level at Westholme when she landed her lucky break through Simon Cowell’s show.

She may have wandered far from her roots but she remains proud of her Lancashire heritage.

She said: “I’m a down-to-earth Lancashire lass and I’m proud of it.

“When I get a craving for chips with curry sauce and a bap, the guys in my band all groan, ‘You’re such a Northerner’, but that’s fine by me.”