HE may be crowned X Factor 2009 winner by the end of the weekend, but Olly Murs can also look forward to a role as an ambassador for his home county.

James Hore

HE may be crowned X Factor 2009 winner by the end of the weekend, but Olly Murs can also look forward to a role as an ambassador for his home county.

The 25-year-old from Witham is in the middle of final rehearsals for the show with hopes that his collaboration with pop superstar Robbie Williams could carry him to victory.

But whatever happens, when he returns home he can expect an invitation to become an “Essex talent ambassador” lying on the doormat.

It is a good time to be from the often mocked county right now, with three out of the four people standing on the stage in the final able to call Essex home.

For alongside Olly will be “Dagenham diva” Stacey Solomon and former Colchester schoolboy and show host Dermot O'Leary.

Kevin Bentley, the Essex county councillor in charge of tourism said: “Both Olly and Stacey represent what Essex is all about - drive, passion, ambition, talent and good, honest, down to earth people.

“They have done a fantastic job getting to the final and I know the whole county is behind them.

“I will be writing to them both in the hope that they will get involved in an ambassador programme to promote talent in Essex and to send a strong message to young people that it is important to work hard to achieve your dream.

“Talent can come in many different guises from being good at business, to cooking, sport or writing.

“What we want our Essex talent ambassadors to do is encourage and inspire the young people in the county to discover

their dream and use their talent to achieve it.”

Mr Bentley said he had always believed Essex was a county that was bursting with talent.

“I would like to wish Olly and Stacey the best of luck for the X Factor final weekend and I hope one of them will bring the title of X Factor winner 2009 to Essex, ” he said.

The ambassadors will be encouraged to get involved with local youth groups run by the council and visit schools to give hints and tips to a young generation looking to follow in their footsteps.

Other Essex people in line to be approached and asked to consider becoming talent ambassadors are chef Jamie Oliver, Blur singer Damon Albarn, the author Jilly Cooper, cricketer Graham Gooch, blonde stunner Denise Van Outen and artist Grayson Perry.