Mary Byrne generous on 'X Factor' exit and is 'open to offers'

HER ELIMINATION caused consternation among her growing legions of supporters, but X Factorsemi-finalist Mary Byrne was magnanimous about her failure to progress to the final of the competition.

The sing-off between her and Cher Lloyd on Sunday night attracted TV3’s largest television to date, audience peaking at 1,387,700 viewers.

Many of Byrne’s supporters believed the judges were wrong to send her home at the expense of the excitable Lloyd, maintaining she would have made the final had the public, not the judges, decided the outcome.

Nevertheless, Byrne (51) said getting as far as she had surpassed all her expectations.

“Who would have dreamt that this one from Ballyfermot would get on to the biggest stage, probably in the world, and perform every week with thousands of people keeping her in and all the friendships she has made?” she said on RTÉ Radio 1.

She also acknowledged the X Factorwas a "young person's show".

Had she made the final, Byrne was due to return to Ballyfermot today and visit her old checkout till in the local Tesco, but those plans have been scrapped. Instead, it is expected she will make a low-key return home later today. She said she had no plans to return to work in Tesco.

Publicist Max Clifford said she could become a millionaire by hooking up with her employer Tesco to sell CDs exclusively through their stores, a strategy employed recently by Girls Aloud singer Nadine Coyle.

Byrne said she was open to offers, but would be concentrating on the X Factortour which takes place next year.

She will make her first Irish appearance on December 29th at the Wright Venue in Swords with a tour of Britain and Ireland to follow in the new year.