IPSWICH: X Factor live finalists Jedward will perform at the town’s Big Friday event this July, it was announced today.

They are the second act revealed to be heading to Christchurch Park for the summer spectacular, following yesterday’s news that Britain’s Got Talent winners Diversity would also be taking part.

With more acts still to be announced, speculation is mounting about who will be joining them at the concert on July 9 – one of many Ip-Art events taking place over the coming months.

Dublin-born twins John and Edward Grimes’ X Factor journey was a rollercoaster ride. Despite constant criticism they made it all the way to week seven of the live finals when they found themselves in the sing-off with Essex’s very own Olly Murs.

Their version of Boyzone’s No Matter What may have got judge and group mentor Louis Walsh’s vote, but it was Murs who lived to sing another day.

Constantly in the headlines, 18-year-old Lucie Jones’ departure instead of Jedward’s in week five led to a national outcry – with calls for judge Simon Cowell to quit the show.

His decision to send the ITV1 talent show to deadlock meant phone votes would decide which of the bottom two acts went. It seemed the public wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to the twins’ interesting song intepretations.

The sharp-suited singers’ earliest memories of singing was when they joined the school choir aged 11. At 14, they entered a school talent competition, with John coming first and Edward third.

Jedward will also be appearing at Newmarket Racecourses later this year. They will join Olly Murs, Stacey Soloman, Jamie Archer, Danyl Johnson and Lucie Jones on the July Course stage on June 18 as part of Newmarket Nights.

n Tickets for Big Friday, at Christchurch Park from 7pm on July 9, go on sale at the Ipswich Regent from 9.30am today.