HIS quest for fame is far from over, but on Saturday night the region's most famous talent show hopeful will fulfil the dream he has harboured since his star studded journey began more than a year ago.

HIS quest for fame is far from over, but on Saturday night the region's most famous talent show hopeful will fulfil the dream he has harboured since his star studded journey began more than a year ago.

Cyril Grant, an 80-year-old former carpenter from Swaffham, will sing during the final of this year's X Factor competition.

Together with other former contestants, who together make up some of the most memorable acts not to have made it through the demanding preliminary rounds, Cyril will perform during the feature length show which is expected to be watched by millions across the UK.

As this year's finalists, boy band JLS, Eoghan Quigg and Alexandra Burke battle it out in what is expected to be a dramatic and close run final, Cyril is looking forward to being able to perform without the enormous pressure.

He said: “I am thrilled to be going back.

“I go down on Friday and they put me up in a hotel and I have to be at the Wembley Park studios at 4.15pm on Saturday.

“As yet I do not know if I am going to be performing a solo or singing with the others but I am just going to enjoy it.”

Out of thousands of entrants Cyril managed to sing his way down into the last 50 contestants in this year's competition.

With his charm and charisma not only did he melt the hearts of the normally acid tongued judges but he also captured the hearts of the nation.

His TV appearances gained him a large internet fan club on sites such as Bebo, Facebook and Youtube and since Cyril left the show, after being told by Simon Cowell that he would be “adored by the public”, he has made numerous local celebrity appearances, including helping turn on the Christmas lights in Kings Lynn.

But the octogenarian is determined his performance on Saturday will not be his swan song.

He has already auditioned to be on the next series of ITV's other hit show Britain's Got Talent.

He said: “I have already been to the London studios for the first audition where I performed Route 66. I think I did enough to go through but I will have to wait until February to find out.”

Because of the broader focus of Britain's Got Talent, multi-skilled Cyril thinks he is in with a better chance than ever of making it to the finals and achieving his dream of playing in front of a packed Wembley Stadium.

He said: “I think I should have a very good chance because I will be able to play my saxophone as well as sing and with the X Factor I could not do that.”