I won!!!

Well, readers I only gone and done it and won my round! What a day! We were all stood just outside the hall and the judges filed past on to the stage. The usual speeches were made, and then, blow me, my name was announced. I knew I had to go on stage if I had won, so duly did so and shook hands with all the judges. The chair, John Fisher, then presented me with a beautiful crystal bowl, which I wasn't expecting at all! The thing about going on in front of an audience in this situation is that the fine detail of what is going to happen is never explained to you as you don't know you're going to go on! So I felt not only completely dazed that I had just won but slightly bewildered about what to do! After I had got the trophy someone told me to go and stand in front of the camera, so I just did what I was told, and bowed in grateful thanks.

After I came off stage, gave my fellow singers a hug and was then whisked away for an interview on BBC2 Wales. I had met Aled Jones in make up (I had joked that I wouldn't go on until I'd met him!) which was a real thrill as his singing had inspired me as a kid. He's such a lovely chap and really relaxed in front of the camera which put me totally at ease. Also presenting was Elin Manahan Thomas who was at the Royal College of Music with me so that was lovely too! Cissian my wonderful make up artist made sure my makeup hadn't run too much, Eric from wardrobe made sure my bra wasn't showing and one of the directors, I think it was, put a radio mic on me. I then had to wait a bit before going on and was desperately trying to get word to my friends and family about where I was, as I hadn't seen any of them since I had won. They turned up in time for the interview and to cheer me royally. It turns out I wasn't the only person who had been interviewed: they'd managed to get to my dad and sister Verity too! Verity had an amazing story too: she had clapped so hard that the diamond had come out of her engagement ring. The family had sprung to the rescue and managed to find it on the next level down!

After the interview there was a little reception and I finally got a well deserved drink! I didn't party too late though as I have the song prize tomorrow. My rehearsal for that is in the theatre later today. It's all go here! I even managed to squeeze in an interview with Radio Wales in the hotel lobby this morning!

I suppose now the task is to come back down to earth and focus for the song prize, and start practising in case I definitely make it to that final as winning the round doesn't guarantee being in the final. I'll keep you posted....