DIANA Vickers will have had a tougher route to the X Factor final than other contestants if she is successful tonight.

Ever since she was forced to miss a round of the show due to a bout of laryngitis, she has faced a barrage of criticism in the national press.

She has had to contend with calls for her to be kicked off the show, rumours she has had a fling with fellow contestant Eoghan Quigg and even internet hate campaigns over her hand movements.

Diana said: “I’ve been really upset lately, but I have to try not to let it get to me.

“Papers aren’t going to write an I Love Diana page, it won’t sell them any copies.

“I have to take it as a compliment that they’re writing about me at all.

“I have to pick myself up and shrug it all off.

“There are a lot of things to take my mind off it. I’m meeting a lot of interesting and varied people, seeing lots of new things, and surrounded by people who support me.”

Her mum Ann said: “You need to remember she was only 16 when she went for it. She’s been at school for all these years and hasn’t done much outside.

“She’s only young and I’m pleased she’s doing what she wants to do – she’s loving it.

“We have had fantastic support. People have started recognising me at work. They come up and ask ‘Is it Diana’s mum?’ “I get it walking through Accrington town centre too, and I think ‘Isn’t this great!’”

Diana, who is in a relationship with 18-year-old Manchester University student Chris Jones from Blackburn, was apprehensive about auditioning for the show because of a lack of confidence.

She said: “The X Factor had been in my head for a while and at Christmas last year my group of friends were pushing me and pushing me to apply.

“I was a bit apprehensive though in case they knocked me back and knocked my confidence.

“I’ve always wanted a career in music or performing but I didn’t think I was good enough.

“I didn’t have any contacts with anyone.

“I took a year out from college because something in me said that I wouldn’t be happy just doing music school. I didn’t want to settle for second best. I’m very driven when it comes to my career.”

Battling her nerves, Diana went along to the Manchester auditions in March with her mum, auntie Pauline and a group of close friends.

Ann said: “She had to go through about three rounds and then was called back to see the judges. We didn’t think too much of it at the time – she was only 16, but they seemed to like her.”

Since then, Diana’s journey has taken in bootcamp performances, a trip to judge Cheryl Cole’s house in Cannes where she was included in the final three girls to make the live shows. Now she is living in a shared house in London with fellow semi-finalists Alexandra Burke, band JLS and Eoghan.

This week Diana performed her first gig at a secret venue in London's Oxford Street She said: “I’d never done a proper gig before this week in London, it was really nerve-wracking.

“I think my best performance in the competition so far has been Blondie’s Call Me or Man In The Mirror by Michael Jackson.

“With Man In the Mirror, I didn’t think I could pull it off, but I was so pleased I did. There is a lot of pressure on now. When I think about Saturday I feel sick – I’m so nervous.

“But I’ve had so much advice and I have to calm myself down.”

Regardless of whether she clinches the top spot in the competition and the £1million recording contract, Diana is determined to make it in the music industry.

She said: “I’m not really going to go back to school after the X Factor if I’m honest.

“I do want to complete my education one day, but at the moment I’ve got to do everything I can to keep in the public eye.

“I’m going to get to gigs, I’m going to write my own songs, experience other types of music.

“I want to keep really out there and work so hard.”

And as she prepared to go into choreography for her semi-final appearance, she said: “It’s fate – I’ve got the X Factor.”