Sudbury Today reported

There can’t be many people who can say they have endeared themselves to TV’s “Mr Nasty”, Simon Cowell.
But Sudbury’s own X Factor hopeful, Debra Vogan, has done exactly that – so much so she’s at an advanced stage of the competition and preparing for her shot at the big time.

And on the way she has found the TV talent show judge famed for his tough criticism to be a real charmer.

Debra, 47, of Hardy Court, has come through three London auditions and is hoping to follow in the footsteps of recent winners Shayne Ward, Steve Brookstein and former EastEnder Lucy Benjamin.

She will soon be whisked away for a three-day stay at a boot camp for intensive voice and dance training in preparation for her television moments later in the summer.

As well as impressing the judges with her voice, her tale of how she met husband David, 42, also wowed them.

“We’re both Christians and found each other on the internet in a Christian chat room,” said Debra who is originally from San Antonio, Texas.

The couple, who worship at Springlands Christian Fellowship, met face-to-face for the first time three years ago when Debra came over from Texas after months of cyber-dating and after David popped the question over the internet
“Our story captured their imagination,” said Debra. “Simon wanted to meet my husband and he let him into the audition room which usually isn’t allowed.”

Her mix of Christian and contemporary songs did the trick and all three judges gave her the thumbs up.

“They were all so lovely to me. Simon was charming, he really was.”

She described Sharon Osbourne as “lovely and beautiful” and said Louis Walsh was “really nice”.

Content to stay in the background while his wife follows her dream, David said: “I’m just so proud of her.”