Former X Factor star waves goodbye to Worcestershire (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Former X Factor star waves goodbye to Worcestershire

7:30am Saturday 1st September 2012 in Local

FORMER X Factor star Wagner who is expecting a baby with his 20-year-old girlfriend is hoping to move back to the Black Country to be closer to family.

Wagner and his pregnant girlfriend Lydia Longville moved to the Worcestershire countryside from Pensnett earlier this year.

Fifty-six-year-old Wagner said: “Living here is not practical with a baby on the way. We want to be closer to Lydia’s family, so they can support her. She has three sisters, parents and grandparents who will help and we want to be settled before he arrives.

“It has been very beautiful to move to the countryside but it is not practical now. Circumstances have changed. To be honest, although I loved watching the wildlife and I get pheasants in the garden, deer, badgers and birds of prey, I miss Dudley.”

The couple have also dismissed critics of their 36-year age gap.

He said: “36 years is nothing. The year is 2012 after Christ. There were thousands of years before that, so what is 36 years? It is nothing.”

Karate instructor Lydia admitted her family were shocked at their relationship at first but said they are now fully supportive and that she and Wagner have been thrilled with the “really lovely comments” from the public since their news broke.

She said: “Things have been great between us. The first time I met him I thought he as better looking in person.

“My family are supportive of us and they have been spoiling the baby already. Every time I see them I come back with more bags.”

Romantic Wagner can remember the exact date he first laid eyes on Lydia – December, 28 2010 when he performed in Stourbridge following his stint on the hit ITV talent show.

He said: “We were introduced by my good friend and black belt student, Vanessa Stokes, who brought Lydia to the gig. She is a karate instructor as well, so straight away we had something in common.

“After that I got to know her a lot better and I had no doubts about her. She is a pretty girl of good character. It is important that people have good character. It is fundamental.”

The baby is due on November 23 and the loved-up couple have already chosen a name for their son - Leon Wagner Fiuza-Carrilho.

Wagner said: “We wanted a strong name. Leon is Spanish for lion and it begins with ‘L’ like Lydia. So he will be our little lion Wagner.”

As well as preparing to become a dad for the second time, the Brazilian entertainer – who has a five-year-old son from a previous relationship – says his celebrity status is continuing to keep him in work.

Since his days on the X Factor he has performed all over the country and has made cameo appearances on TV; and he is soon to be seen in a new telecommunications TV advert starring a well-known Hollywood actor - although he is remaining tight-lipped about the identity of his co-star.