TED EXCLUSIVE: My chat with Luke Friend ahead of Big Band week

Our boy Luke Friend absolutely smashed it on last weekend's X Factor with the judges labelling him the "dark horse of the competition".

It's Big Band week, perhaps not the best genre for Luke, but we have no doubt that he will silence the sceptical and deliver another mind-blowing performance.

It's been an incredibly busy week for Master Friend, having returned home to Exeter on Tuesday he lost an important day of rehearsals so this week's catch up was short and sweet.

OJ - What was it like coming back to Exeter after the journey you've been on so far?
LF - It was lovely, I've missed it a lot. It was amazing to see my friends and obviously to get the chance to busk again because that was like my old job in a way so it was lovely going back to there.

OJ - How you've been getting on this week?
LF - This week's been really good. Obviously I've been stressing a bit because it's Big Band week which is stressful in itself because you're playing with a live band. There's a lot more to learn now to because there's slightly less people so the songs get that bit longer and stuff like that. But I've been having loads of fun, this week is the most excited I've been so far.

OJ - What've you to say about your new title as the competition's "dark horse"?
LF - I guess I am pretty happy about it. I've just been trying as hard as I can and I guess it's working. People are starting to notice me and not just for the hair but for what I need to do which is singing. It's just so nice being here and I've got people like David Cameron on my side now which is pretty cool.

OJ - You must have been pretty pleased with Made in Chelsea's Lucy Watson's tweet earlier this week...
LF - Yeah of course man! That was quite weird, it was sort of out of the blue wasn't it. I hadn't seen it and my friend was like "so-and-so's tweeted you" so I had a look and, yeah, it was quite entertaining.

OJ - So how are you going to get on this week Luke?
LF - I'm just going to take Big Band week and suit it to my style I guess - put a bit of Luke on it. Not so much that it completely changes the song, I'm still going to have that swing aspect to it. I'm just really looking forward to it. I've just had a practise of it today and I'm buzzing for it actually.

OJ - So you're pretty confident then?
LF - I'm just being positive. I mean I am confident. I love the song I'm doing, Moondance by Van Morrison and out of all the swing songs that's a pretty cool one to be doing. I'm really excited.

Once again, everyone at #teamTED will be behind Luke this weekend. Don't forget to vote for him, it's clear as the weeks go on that no one is safe. C'mon Luke - keep doing it for Devon!