NOEL Edmonds spotted X Factor finalist Olly Murs' star quality long before pop impresario Simon Cowell, it emerged today.

NOEL Edmonds spotted X Factor finalist Olly Murs' star quality long before pop impresario Simon Cowell, it emerged today.

Edmonds was impressed with the 25-year-old when he appeared on Channel 4 hit show Deal or No Deal back in 2007.

Other contestants were reduced to tears after Olly won just �10 after turning down a �20,000 offer from the show's banker.

But commiserating the Witham warbler, Edmonds marked him out for success, telling him: “Olly, every now and again you do meet a special person on this show and you do not have failure written over you.”

Olly faces favourite Joe McElderry and Stacey Solomon in this weekend's X Factor final.

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