CROYDON'S Ben Haenow is through to the final of the X Factor.
The van driver, from Shirley, who was reduced to tears after his performance on Saturday night, is now one step away from bagging a £1 million record deal.
The final will be held at Wembley Arena and screened live on ITV next Saturday and Sunday night (December 13 and 14),
The 29-year-old, who is being mentored by pop svengali Simon Cowell, will be strongly fancied to win the show, having never been in the bottom two for acts with the fewest public votes.
In Saturday's semi-finals, Ben sang Bon Jovi's Please Come Home For Christmas and Leonard Cohen classic Hallelujah.
After finding out he'd been voted through, Ben said: "I can't believe. This is my dream.
"It's made my life.. I've had a lot of knockbacks over the years."
Ben is now set for an an emotional homecoming gig in Croydon this week, as he returns home alongside mentor Simon Cowell.
Ben, a former Edenham High School pupil, went through straight away on the public vote, along with Fleur East.
Andrea Faustini will join them in the final, after winning a sing-off against Essex teenager Lauren Platt.
