WILTSHIRE X Factor star Jahmene Douglas has warned other singers not to go on the show.

Douglas, 28, who was working in Swindon Asda and living in Wroughton, before he was picked for the ITV show came second in 2012 and shot to the top of the album charts with his debut record Love Never Fails.

But now The Mirror says he has lifted the lid on his X Factor experience and claims the show isn’t a singing competition but rather a reality TV show.

In a new YouTube video entitled X Factor Xposed, Jahméne claimed: “X Factor isn’t a singing competition, it’s a reality TV show, I realised who I was on it. They didn’t care about my singing, they care about the story behind you.

“When I went on the show, it wasn’t about the story that I had, it was about my voice. That’s what I wanted to push.

“I didn’t sign up thinking I want to tell my story, I wanted to sing.”

While on X Factor the soul singer spoke out on growing up with an abusive father, as well as the nightmares and sleepless nights that continue to plague him – including a three-day spell in which he stayed awake and even began hallucinating.

In hindsight, the singer saying he “lost sight of who I was as a singer through the X Factor and recording my first album”.

“It was a traumatising blessing,” he said.

“I don’t like to say ‘I regret the experience’ because its made me who I am as a singer now. I’ve learnt a lot of things.

“It’s like a crash course in the industry.

“Traumatising? Yes. Would I recommend X Factor to a singer singer? No.”

After finishing the X Factor, Jahméne said he signed a five album deal with Simon Cowell’s Syco label

Discussing the recording experience, the artist said: “It’s hard to talk about. Being forced to do a cover album shattered my whole singing dream of what I had done growing up and what I had dreamt of.”

In the video, Jahméne claimed he didn’t know he was going to do a cover album.

“When I signed on the contract, what was pitched to me was ‘I want you to join these people on the wall. Your voice can join these people. I believe you’re not a one hit wonder’.

“I signed a five album deal with them. They had me for my next five albums which was the contract from X Factor.

“But they forced me to make a cover album and it was so soul destroying.

“My heart broke and in that moment I realised no one cares.”

“If you say no, they’re going to destroy your whole, like you’re not going to be able to do anything after that.

“I tried to compromise when they said cover album. I said what if it’s not classed as a debut album and I make it more of a duet album, and bring some gospel artists from America.

“They agreed to it, I was shocked.”