Fame Academy-hopeful Maria Eracleous has been singled out for praise by judges.
Singer and guitarist Maria auditioned for the London heats for the second series of BBC Television's hit show.
Judges praised Maria, 27, for her song-writing ability and invited her back for a second audition.
She said: "I stood in the queue for six hours before I went in and did my bit. She said she liked my song. I told her I wrote it and she was really pleased I sang something original.
"I came out feeling quite good and did a good job. When I got back home, they rang that night and told me to go back for a recall on the Sunday, when I found only 50 people there."
Maria, of Colchester, out-performed more than 3,500 other hopefuls to get through to the last 50 at the London heats but missed out on the next stage where the final few from each region bid for the 12 places in Fame Academy.
Published Friday, June 13, 2003
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