Sam Callahan GT naked shoot for Balls To Cancer

You’re certainly not shy are you Sam?
The last time I got my clothes off was for Gay Times, so I haven’t done it for a very long time. I steered clear of it for a while because I was worried people might be seeing a bit too much of me and then I thought it was a cool thing to do, so why not? At first it’s very awkward, especially when the photographer is asking me to lift a ball up!

But you have a lot to be confident about, if you know what we mean!
I’ve never had any complaints, I’m quite confident with it! I’d never show it in photos though. To me, that’s porn and I’m a musician. I do GT shoots because it’s a bit of a laugh. There have been drunken nights where I’ve ended up with my kit off but if you start taking professional photos with your wanger out, it’s a different path.

What reaction did you get from GT readers last time?
It was a really good reaction. Hopefully I haven’t eaten too many McDonald's since then so I’ll get a good reaction again. It’s nice to have such support from the gay community.

Why do we like you?
Probably because of the way I look, I don’t think it’s just because of my music. I’ve not released anything into the great wide world yet, so it must be based on my appearance.

Even though you are straight, do any gay guys try it on with you anyway?
They tweet me some really deep stuff like and I’m like, ‘woah okay!’ They tell me what they want to do to me. I don’t know what they expect me to respond with, but they aint going to get that far! I’m straight and I like girls, sorry.

How do you keep fit?
I’ve been up and down the country gigging and in the studio so I haven’t had much time to prepare for this shoot. But I try and go to the gym four times a week. It used to be just weights but now I’m getting older, my metabolism is slowing down so now I go running three times a week too just to keep the weight off. I don’t enjoy it; I feel like I’m just puffing out of my arse.

Which bit of your body has the most fans?
My abs. I try and do bicep work but if I do too much I’ll look too big. And when you’re standing on stage with a guitar it can look a bit funny with massive bulging biceps.

Looking back to this time last year, what are you X Factor memories?
The touring afterwards was the best part because I’ve always wanted to tour arenas and stadiums. But going on the TV stage in front of 12 million people and singing for your career is a whole different ball game and I’d shit myself each time. But when I look back on it a year later I had so much fun in the X Factor house.

Gary Barlow used to criticise you a lot. What did that teach you?
It taught me that if you believe in something then it doesn’t matter if someone tells you no, it doesn’t matter who they are, that’s bollocks. I’ve done music since I was 12-years-old; that’s a long time for someone my age and I’ve had a lot of knockbacks but you can’t tell me Bon Jovi and U2 didn’t have knockbacks either. If you are going to be a credible artist you have to learn the ropes and put the groundwork in. Part of that groundwork is being turned down a million times before you get that big break.

Are you tarred with the X Factor brush?
When you leave the X Factor people think you have been handed fame on a plate. It was an amazing experience but I’m not just a reality TV star. It’s given me some great opportunities but I work hard so I wont settle. Sometimes it takes a long time to get where you want to get, and if that’s what I’ve got to do, it’s what I’ve got to do.