Mark successfully passed three gruelling auditions, and was picked for the last 16 males in the 25yrs upwards group. At the boot camp he did not make it into the last five, however he was pleased with how far he got in the competition considering over fifty thousand people auditioned to appear on the show. Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, and Sharon Osbourne, were the three judges. Kate Thornton presented the show for ITV1 & Ben Shepard for ITV2.

X Factor 'a challenge' Oct 15 2004

By Evening Gazette Teesside

A Teesside-born singer Mark Aynsley, who has been knocked out of ITV's "X Factor" competition says he has achieved his personal goal in the contest he beat thousands of pop wannabes to reach the final 16 males in the over-25s age group.But after a two-day "boot camp" under the fearsome stewardship of judge Simon Cowell, he was told he had not reached the final five.

During the rounds of the competition, he said, he did not suffer the acid-tongued barbs of Mr Cowell, TV's Mr Nasty, during his numerous auditions."He was very complimentary to me right from the start. He said guys of my age normally sound like pub singers or club singers," but you dont" I am very impressed by your performance.

Mark was not disappointed not to reach the final. He added: "In all honesty, knowing how television works, I'm possibly not controversial enough, .but It's just been a nice experience."

Mark, who was born in Teesville and lived in Normanby, South Bank and Eaglescliffe, sang in bands including the Nightriders and the Escorts and performed vocal sessions with the BBC.

Mr Aynsley, who now lives in Cheshire, runs an entertainment agency,takes exercise to music classes, he also sings at least three nights a week.

Singer beats cancer to wow X Factor judges

Published on Friday 29 October 2004: Warrington Guardian

by Steve Hallmark

When singer and musician Mark Aynsley was told he would never sing again after an operation to remove two cancerous tumours from his throat his world almost fell apart.

But thanks to his determination Mark, who made the charts in 1971 with his single 909, proved doctors wrong and it wasn't long before he resumed his career as a singer

And such was the extent of Mark's amazing recovery that ten years later he successfully auditioned for ITV1's The X Factor and made it to the last 16 males in the over 25 section

But winning praise for his vocal performance from X factor judges Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh had little to do with Mark's reason for entering the competition.

His motivation lay in the desire to prove that there was life after cancer and that he hadn't lost the gift he had taken for granted since he started his career as a teenager, performing in the nation's clubs and theatre also making numerous radio and Television appearances.

Mark, of Cinnamon Brow, said: "I wanted to prove to myself that there was life after cancer and that I could still sing despite it. I also wanted to inspire other people who had been through something similar that the odds can be beaten. It was a very personal challenge but something I also wanted to share.

"Singing was my life so to be told that I would never sing again was devastating. I wasn't afraid of dying but selfishly I wondered what could be left in life without my voice.

"I took for granted something I'd been born with and it wasn't until I thought I'd lost it forever that I realised how precious it was.

Mark, who is no stranger to the world of TV after making more than 14 major television appearances in his glittering career, found ardent fans in Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne who complimented him on his voice and voted him through to the next round.

e-mail:markhay@orange.fr

e-mail: markaynsley@almara.co.uk