CAN it really be eight years since Diana Vickers stood barefoot before the X Factor panel?

Her ethereal style, singing softly in bare feet, hadn't been seen on the show before and she proved a quirky hit with viewers.

She said: "It was a great platform, I learned a lot, but instant fame can be overwhelming.”

Diana has come a long way since, carving a career in musical theatre. This week she is in Bradford in the Rocky Horror Show, Richard O'Brien's cult classic paying homage to 1950s B-movies, sci-fi and horror.

The show begins when squeaky clean college kids Brad and Janet break down one stormy night and seek help in a spooky mansion.

Cue a collection of strange characters and creepy servants attending a convention led by head of the house Frank N Furter, an alien transvestite who has created a living muscle man in his laboratory.

The lively score includes Science Fiction/Double Feature, Sweet Transvestite and Time Warp.

Seduced by the risque goings-on in the house, Brad and Janet lose their inhibitions and unleash their inner wild. And for Diana, taking on the role of Janet has been equally liberating.

She said: "Janet goes from girl-next-door to vixen. I'm pretty confident generally, but in a new environment I can be shy."

* The Rocky Horror Show runs at the Alhambra from March 14 to 19. Visit bradford-theatres.co.uk or call 01274 432000 to book tickets.