It's 20 years ago this week that Darius was nominated for Record Of The Year for his debut single Colourblind”.

He came third in the competition but was the only performer who was singing a song he’d written himself! All of the other tracks in the top five were cover versions including the winner that year , “Unchained Melody” by Gareth Gates.

Talking about the event in his 2003 book ‘Sink Or Swim’ he said:

“I sat on the couch and formed part of the final five line-up with Ronan Keating, Will, Gareth and Atomic Kitten and I couldn’t help reminiscing about the times we recorded Pop Idol in the studios.

Holly Valance, Enrique Inglesias, Shakira, Anastasia and Liberty X had also been nominated so it was a big deal to get this far.

At one point I looked up and saw Simon Cowell talking to my manager Nick. He left before I had the chance to speak to him, so I gave him a call.

‘Darius, my boy, how are you? I’m so sorry to have missed you’ he said. I wondered if he had been avoiding me. We chit-chatted for a bit and then he said ‘So, what was it like losing again tonight?’

I laughed: ‘I actually think it’s an amazing privilege to have been voted into the top ten. And, as someone pointed out to me, Will’s song was a Westlife cover, "The Tide Is High" is a Blondie cover, the Ronan Keating song was a cover of a Garth Brooks song that was also covered by Barry Manilow and Gareth’s song was a cover of a Robson and Jerome cover of the original Righteous Brothers song.

I paused and caught my breath, "Colourblind", was the only original song in the top five. So actually I’m going out celebrating tonight,” I went on.

“What are you doing?”