Brit student has french x-factor

MATTHEW RAYMOND-BARKER BEATS NATIVE FRENCH CONTESTANTS TO WIN TV SONG CONTEST AND A MAJOR RECORDING CONTRACT A BRITISH university student on a placement in Toulouse has been voted the winner

of the French version of X-Factor. Matthew Raymond-Barker, who studies French at the University of Bath, beat native French contestants to win the TV song contest on M6. The 22-year-old was

awarded a recording contract with Sony and his first single, a cover of Daniel Balavoine's Vivre ou Survivre, will be released this weekend. Raymond-Barker, who comes from Mitcham in

south London, decided to enter the competition while on a university placement in Toulouse after he failed to get through the British version. He sang both in English and French throughout

the competition - and performed songs by Eminem, Rihanna and Michael Jackson in the final, in front of two million viewers. Judges praised his energy and stage presence - but Raymond-Barker

believes the fact that he is British might have helped win over the public vote. He said: "I'm a huge fan of X Factor and I have fulfilled a dream by being part of the show - and

my mum is very proud of me." He plans to stay in France for the time being and take time out from studying to pursue his musical interests. His mother Karen said: "He only entered

it for a laugh to see if he could get any further than he did in the English one. But I always said he had a lovely voice."