The Echo exclusively revealed this week how the wannabe pop star's life was saved by judge Simon Cowell during her audition for the TV talent show.

The 46-year-old was spurred into seeing a doctor about her sore throat when the show's Mr Nasty, Cowell, told her: "Something weird happens to your voice when you sing" as she belted out Labi Siffre's Something Inside So Strong.

Off camera Cowell and fellow judge Sharon Osborne told her to see her GP about her throat, and she was glad she did, because it turned out to be bronchiectasis – an incurable potentially-deadly lung infection.

Since the Echo broke Jacqui's story she has been thrust into the media spotlight, and travelled to London to do interviews for a wealth of tabloid newspapers, magazines, TV and radio stations.

And X-Factor fans have been staking out her home in Galashiels Road, Grindon, hoping for an autograph.
She said: "It's been mad. I've done GMTV, Radio 1, Take a Break and loads of other magazines and papers.

"If it wasn't for the Echo I wouldn't have had this opportunity so I just want to say thank you very much."

Jacqui, who works for a city law firm by day and is a club singer at night, has also been approached by Channel 4, who are thinking of doing a fly-on-the-wall documentary.

She added: "I've also been contacted by the X-Factor press office and I'm angling for some live final tickets."

There have also been whispers that Jacqui could appear on X-Factor again in some form, so keep your eyes peeled.

Jacqui told the Echo that her illness will never stop her from pursuing her dreams.

She said: "I've already sent off the forms for Britain's Got Talent and I'm going to enter next year's X-Factor."