TV
How are you feeling today?
"You know, I'm feeling fine. I'm feeling on top of the world actually!"
Did Saturday's result come as a shock to you? A lot of people had been tipping you to win.
"Well, it got to the stage where you just didn't know who was going to go. It would have been a shock on Saturday whatever had happened."
Cheryl's said that some of your fans may have been "too cool" to vote. Do you agree with her?
"Maybe. I know a lot of university students have said they loved me. You know, me and my friends have watched this show for years and we'll always love someone, but we'll never pick up the phone and vote for them. Maybe people thought, 'Oh, she's cool', but just didn't pick up the phone and vote."
Did you ever worry that you were too quirky for The X Factor?
"Maybe, but I made it a long way on the show, so the majority of people must have got me. I'll never know for sure I guess."
Do you think missing Mariah week harmed your chances in the long run?
"I don't think so because I stayed in for a couple of weeks after that. I have to admit it did knock my confidence though. I only started to build it up again recently and it really did come back for my last show. On Saturday I just thought to myself, 'This could be my last show so I'm going to give it all I've got'."
Did what happened make you more cautious when straining for a big note?
"Yeah, I have to say it did. Once something like that's happened it makes you really nervous. Before The X Factor I never understood that your throat is all muscle and that it's really, really delicate. I definitely learned a lot about my voice on the show."
What do you make of all the fuss surrounding your claw?
"My claw? I love it! I couldn't ask for anything more! People are like, 'Oh dear Diana, they're talking about your claw again', but I'm like, 'Excellent! I think it's a good thing'. I just enjoy it and find it amusing. I'm a girl who has a wicked sense of humour so I just laugh it off."
How did you feel when you first opened the papers and read about it?
"I never really read the papers so I only heard about it when a guy in the studio told me. It did make me a bit self-conscious though and I tried to tame it. Brian Friedman would say to me, 'Tut tut Diana, the claw's coming back'. When it started rising to my face I'd be like, 'Oh no!' But if I stood there like a wooden spoon and never did anything with my arm, people would be like, 'Why does this girl never move?'"
What was Cheryl like as a mentor?
"She was incredible. She knows exactly what she's doing and she's very driven. She definitely brought out the best in me and she made this experience so, so enjoyable. I went for Sunday dinner at her house yesterday and it was lovely, just so special."
Did she cook it herself?
"No she didn't, but the meal was lovely. You know, I think she does cook but she didn't for this occasion."
What's next for you?
"You know, it's only Monday morning. Everyone's saying to me, 'What's next Diana?' and I'm like, 'Aaaagh... I only just woke up!' I really, really want to do well with this and I'm going to work so hard from now on. My love for music has grown so much thanks to The X Factor and I am determined to keep at it."
Has Gary Barlow been in touch yet?
"No, not yet! Fingers crossed though - we'll have to see."
Who do you think will win on Saturday?
"You know, I really couldn't say. I love them all and I think they're all fab in their own individual ways. I'll be there supporting them all on Saturday, waving my banner in the front row and shouting 'Woooooh!'"
The X Factor concludes Saturday at 7.10pm and 9.40pm on ITV1. Diana Vickers will be appearing on the 'X Factor 2009 Live Tour' - more information at www.bookingsdirect.com.
