X FACTOR: Celebrity’s Vinnie Jones has revealed Dennis Wise turned up to support him in rehearsals for the show.
The former footballers became friends while the famous hardman, 54, was playing for Chelsea FC.
X Factor: Celeb’s Vinnie Jones supported by friend Dennis Wise in rehearsals
And when asked what his football mates think of him picking up a mic on the talent show, Vinnie said Wisey, 52, was cheering him on even before he sang in front of Simon Cowell.
Vinnie said: “They love it. Wisey came to the rehearsals. He was like, ‘Ah, brilliant. Go on son. You’ll win it!’
“Wisey loved it, and then the funny thing was Wisey started getting into it, he even started becoming a coach. He started getting into it giving me advice and all that.”
Vinnie reckons even his family have been taking it a bit too seriously for his liking.
He joked: “Got my brother-in-law playing the guitar every night, getting me to rehearse and all that. I’m going, ‘Relax, please!’
“My sister is going mental, she wants to get the T-shirts made and everything else.”
The Brit legend was fast-tracked to the live finals last month after the tragic death of his wife Tanya saw him miss the Los Angeles auditions.
And Vinnie admitted that he is only taking part on the ITV talent competition because his wife was desperate for him to appear on the series, and he wanted to pay tribute to her.
After impressing judges with his debut, a rendition of the Blue’s Brother’s hit Everybody Needs Somebody, he kept the tempo up by performing another energetic song last week.
A source told us: “Vinnie is his own man and is definitely calling the shots when it comes to his performance and even giving Simon a run for his money when it comes to knowing whats what!”
The insider added: “Vinnie has said hed love to be a judge on one of Simons shows one day and he is certainly impressing everyone with his opinions on how things should look and his attention to detail.”
The Hollywood hard-man got choked up as following his first live performance, which he dedicated to late wife Tanya.
He previously said of his X Factor stint: “Im not treating it like a singing competition, Im doing it as a tribute for Tanya.”
Tanya tragically lost her six-year cancer battle on 6 July having previously fought two cervical cancer diagnoses before being told that she has malignant melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer.
The X Factor continues tonight at 8.30pm on ITV
