Ella Henderson has said competing in The X Factor aged 16 did not faze her – but it “terrifies” her now.
The singer, who had a UK number one with Ghost, made her debut as a teenager on The X Factor 10 years ago.
Speaking on The One Show with presenters Alex Jones and Harry Judd, the 26-year-old said: “I know I sound like Louis Walsh saying ‘when I was 16’ but I was so young…I am 26 now and I could never do that.
“It would terrify me going out on a Saturday and Sunday night singing to all the nation and having people judge you for what you love doing, but I did enjoy every second of it though.
“I think what drew me to the show that year was the fact that you could audition with your own song and my dream was always to be a songwriter and to showcase that and just have any way in of showing people that.”
The songwriter, who released new single Brave last week, said her success on the show as a teenager was “baffling”.
She said: “I never thought I would end up on the live shows and have that entrance into the industry.
“I guess everyone has their own versions of how they got up the ladder, but it was a wild journey and a wild ride and I loved it.”
Henderson, who was mentored by judge Tulisa Contostavlos, placed sixth in the show despite being a favourite, while James Arthur was crowned the winner.
Crediting her family, she added: “I am lucky I have got an amazing family.
“I am one of four siblings and I am the youngest so I am used to growing up around crazy big brothers…the X Factor was definitely like that living all together.
“My parents were always with me and I think I have always had an old head on a young set of shoulders.
“Its weird, it didn’t phase me then but I think if I tried to do that now it would absolutely terrify me.”
