Nikki Chapman, the 'nice' Pop Idol judge, memorably told hopeful Suzanne Carley at her audition last year that she was "a ray of sunshine".

Suzanne didn't make it through to the final, but her sunny rays are shining onstage in Grease, the musical.

The former shop assistant, who turns 20 on Tuesday, managed to get through to the final 50 on ITV's pop talent competition.

It was not the first time she had met the show's presenters Ant and Dec -- she also appeared on their comedy sketch show, Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.

"They dressed up as old men while me and another girl pretended to be their young girlfriends," Suzanne explains.

"They are so funny it was hard to keep a straight face."

Suzanne had no difficulty keeping a straight face during her first audition in front of the Pop Idol judges.

"It was pretty scary, especially the first round, because they basically try to make you look like an idiot on national television."

Despite being put together in a group with such talented finalists as Roxanne, Marc and Sam, Suzanne insists the bitchiness and backstabbing was kept to a minimum. "It was quite competitive, but I'm not really like that. I was a little bit disappointed when I didn't get further, but if I wasn't knocked out when I was, I probably wouldn't be doing this."

Before the audition for Grease, Suzanne was working as a shop assistant in a dancewear shop in Watford, while doing small acting jobs on the side, including TV shows Night and Day, GMTV, Ri:se and Mad for It.

She is still recovering from the shock of landing the lead role in the professional touring musical, which comes to Oxford next week.

"I just went along to audition and they asked me to sing Hopelessly Devoted. I didn't realise they would consider me for the part of Sandy, I would have been happy with anything. I was completely surprised. I still can't believe it."

After three weeks of auditions, it was time to take the show on the road. One of her first stops was Liverpool -- the city she moved from to Watford as a young child, with her parents and brother.

About 20 of her relatives were in the audience, including her grandparents and young cousins.

"It's just fun and everyone of all ages love it and know all the songs.

"Everyone in the cast is brilliant, particularly Ben (Richards), who plays Danny, he has just looked after me no end."

Suzanne is on tour with the production for a year, but still manages to get home most weekends to see her family and boyfriend, Grant.

Grease runs for one week at the New Theatre, George Street, Oxford, from Monday until Saturday. Tickets are £8-£26. Box office 0870 6063500.