Diana Vickers, the singer who rose to fame on the fifth series of The X Factor in 2008, has revealed that she celebrated one year of celibacy by sleeping with a colleague. The 34-year-old pop star, known for hits like Once and The Boy Who Murdered Love, decided to go without sex for an extended period after struggling in her dating life.
Why Diana Chose Celibacy
Speaking to The Sun, Vickers explained her decision: "I went celibate for a year just to see what would happen and I really thrived. I had such a great year with work and got every job I went up for. And then it got to the year mark, which I wanted to reach and I celebrated it by sleeping with someone I worked with."
She added: "I was like (mimes pointing): ‘You! You have won the competition.’ And it was great. It was a really lovely experience with a really lovely guy, who I’ve stayed friends with since."
Current Relationship Status
Vickers, who previously had a four-year relationship with fellow musician George Craig, is currently single. She insists she "never feels lonely" because her life is so busy, but she would like to settle down with the right person. "It would be nice to share that deep connection with someone, to have them absolutely fancying the pants off you and listening to you and laughing and lighting you up," she said.
Last year, Vickers spoke to OK! magazine about her nervousness around intimacy. "I didn’t go on a date this year for about five months, because last year I really put myself out there and had seen a few people, so I gave it a break and recently went on my first date in a while, which was nerve wracking. But at the end of the day, I do really want to meet someone, so you just have to put yourself out there," she said.
Navigating Dating in Her 30s
Vickers, who has carved out a successful theatre career since her X Factor days, launched the podcast Just Between Us to discuss dating. "I think being a woman in your 30s, it is difficult to date and it’s confusing. So the podcast is just a nice, safe space to be in where you can listen to people of a similar age and hear similar stories," she explained. "But it is very liberating for me as well, because it means I get to let it out. I do think I’m quite respectful though, when I’m talking about people I’ve dated, and the right person for me will embrace it. This is who I am and I’ve got to a place where I’m very unapologetically myself."
