X Factor bosses forced to buy out winner Matt Terry from pantomime contract where he was set to play Peter Pan
Singer had set himself low expectations for the ITV contest which he eventually won on Sunday night
X FACTOR winner Matt Terry’s ambitions were so low when he auditioned for the show that he’d already signed up to do panto this Christmas.
ITV bosses were forced to “buy out” the singer from a local production in Barrow, Cumbria, where he was due to spend three months starring as Peter Pan.
Officials had to act quickly to get him out of a contract with Shone Productions when it became clear the 23-year-old waiter was heading for greater things.
The broadcaster paid an undisclosed sum to the small independent production company for the panto in the Lake District.
If ITV had not taken steps they would have been faced with a conflict in the now winner’s diary as he was due to star in the panto at the Forum Theatre, Barrow, from December to March.
Normally X Factor stars wait a few years before throwing themselves into panto with 2009 winner Joe McElderry waiting until 2016 to take to the small stage as Aladdin.
Other hopefuls who have tragically faded into panto include blond bombshell Rhydian Roberts as Prince Charming in Cinderella and Marcus Collins as Peter Pan.
RELATED STORIES
Matt would have had to take up his role in the opening night on December 9 – the night before the singing competition’s final.
The theatre was still bigging up Matt as their leading lad in September when several of the first auditions and boot camp had taken place, and the first episode had aired.
It is not known when ITV took action to remove him from the contract or how much was paid to the production company.
A spokesman for The Forum confirmed the change in leading actor on Facebook: “Yes he (Matt Terry) was originally playing Peter Pan but unfortunately due to Matt’s success on X Factor he is now unable to perform in this year’s panto.”
Matt triumphed over Finnish singer Saara Aalto on Sunday night, and will now spend the next week busily promoting his winner's single, When Christmas Comes Around, which was written by Ed Sheeran.
The track is a holiday themed ballad and was co-written by Amy Wadge just two weeks ago before being sent to Simon Cowell for consideration.
"Thank you so much everybody," a shell-shocked Matt said as he won.
"You came into this final as good artists, you ended as great artists.," said Simon Cowell, who's record company will now sign Matt. "What I promise you Matt, we will give you one hundred percent, you deserve this opportunity."