A teenager from Wolverhampton saw his dreams of becoming this year’s X Factor winner crushed after judge Simon Cowell decided he did not make the grade.

But Bushbury’s Liam Payne said television’s Mr Nasty had told him to get his GCSEs out of the way next year and have another go.

The 15-year-old, of Wychall Drive, now plans to put all of his energy into improving his voice and said he was making it his aim to win next year.

People across the country watched over the weekend as he stood in front of Simon Cowell and Sinitta in Barbados to try and win a place in the show’s live finals by singing Take That’s A Million Love Songs.

But while Sinitta said she “loved” the voice of the competition’s youngest boy, Simon said it was “good, not fantastic”. Viewers saw him in action on Saturday but had to wait until last night to see if he would go further in the competition and watched as Simon shattered his dreams and sent him home.

As he walked away, the youngster told presenter Dermot O’Leary he was “gutted”, covering his face with his hands.

Liam, who this morning did his first live television interview on GMTV , said the entire experience had only spurred him on.

He said: “People don’t realise how difficult it is to get to boot camp let alone the judges’ houses.

“Thousands entered and I was down to the last 24 and the last six boys. That was amazing.

“I went there a little schoolboy with a dream and feel like I’ve come back a man who almost made it.” Liam, who names Robbie Williams as his idol due to his skills as an all-round entertainer, added: “There is so much more to the show that people don’t see and it’s the best experience of my life. 

“I understand that I need to get my GCSEs out of the way but I will be back and I will win it next year, I will put everything into it.” He added: “I don’t really get nervous but I’m used to performing to audiences – the bigger the better.”

Mother Karen, a nursery nurse, watched the show from the family’s home with daughters Ruth, aged 17, and Nicola, aged 20, but Liam was in London with father Geoff ahead of this morning’s television appearance.

She said: “I absolutely sobbed. He wanted it so much and I was there in Barbados with him.

“We know he will be famous one day.”