X Factor 2017 finalist Tracy Leanne Jefford is keen to change people’s views of travellers.
34-year-old full-time mum from Middlesex Tracy Leanne Jefford comes from the travelling community and wants to improve public perception.
She explained: “I want to show the public that there are good people in the travelling community. There are good and bad people in every community but you can’t tar everyone with the same brush.”
Speaking to the Daily Mail newspaper, Tracey-Leanne said she had the full support of fellow travellers
“They are all backing me,” she said. “I have always mixed out of the community though, I am friends with everybody, I actually have more non-gypsy friends.”
And on mentor Nicole Scherzinger, who chose Tracy as one of her final three contestants on Saturday, Tracey-Leanne added: “She is a friend as well as our mentor – she is such a wonderful person.”
Tracy Leanne originally auditioned for The X Factor back in 2006 where she made bootcamp.
“I was on X Factor in 2006 and I made Simon’s bootcamp. I was a different person then,” she told the judges at her first audition. “I’ve lost five and a half stone in weight, I never had no confidence.”
Sharon Osbourne encouraged: “You’re gorgeous!”
Tracy went on to reveal: “I’ve just gone through a divorce, I was married for 17 years and to tell you the truth I never felt beautiful in myself, I felt ugly.
“I am from the travelling community where people get married a lot younger. I got married at 17. We had 3 beautiful babies so I spent a lot of time bringing up my children, looking after my family.”
The X Factor 2017 continues this weekend on ITV with the very first of the live shows.
The X Factor will start on Saturday at 8:20PM and return Sunday at 7PM.
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