In the gripping final of television's Fame Academy on Saturday night North Yorkshire's own singer-songwriter Alistair Griffin was beaten at the final hurdle. But he will return to a hero's welcome in his home town. Kate Bowman reports.

AS cheers echoed through the BBC1 studios for the winner of Fame Academy 2003, an uncomfortable silence fell over the small North Yorkshire village of Castleton, near Whitby.

Disappointment, and in some cases utter disbelief, filled the faces of the scores of residents who had banded together to show their support for local hero Alistair Griffin.

For nine weeks, they had religiously watched him sing his way into the finals of the popular television show.

And on Saturday, they came together in the hope he would scoop a million pound record deal.

But Alistair's rendition of Everything I Am, his duet with Daniel Bedingfield and his self-penned tune Bring It On were not enough to win over the majority of the 4.5 million viewers who voted.

The prize went to 19-year-old Alex Parks - though Alistair did have the satisfaction of beating Carolynne Good to the runner-up spot.

In Castleton, where posters for Alistair adorned pub windows and banners were stretched between houses, hundreds crowded into Champions' garage showroom, where screens relayed the Saturday night entertainment, and the Fox and Hounds, in nearby Ainthorpe.

Support for the 25-year-old was incredible.

"He's a superb singer and to get this far makes him a winner," said garage owner Joyce Champion.

Next-door neighbour Alan Boyd said Alistair should have won - and believes he is still capable of having a string of top hits with songs he has already written.

"The best person lost in my opinion," he said. "I am still very proud of him."

Another neighbour, Colin Grout, said the result had been expected.

"If I were a gambling man I would have put my money on Alex. Alistair was given some very hard pieces to sing whereas she was given Imagine - one of the most popular songs of the decade."

Onstage, the witty northerner was championed by Bee Gee Robin Gibb.

But he faced stern competition, with Cornwall teenager Parks tipped to win from an early stage with the academy's teachers hailing her as a "unique artist of star quality".

On leaving the academy, Alistair said: "I came here to be myself and I hope people can love me just as I am."

His proud mother, Barbara, who travelled down to London with family and friends over the weekend, said her son had surpassed his wildest dreams and enjoyed every minute.

Published: 06/10/2003