‘The X Factor’ UK: Paul Akister will join Fleur East, Ben Haenow for at least two tour dates

Back when Paul Akister was first eliminated from “The X Factor,” it was a big shock. He was at one point a favorite to win, and Mel B championed hard for him to be able to officially join the contestants on tour.

Luckily, we have some good news today for Paul fans: He will be performing at least a pair of gigs with the likes of Ben Haenow, Fleur East, and the rest of the top eight. As he confirmed on Twitter below, Paul will be performing for two dates coming up in Manchester. Hopefully, this could lead to some other gigs in the future with the group, but that is not confirmed.

What we are personally rather curious to see is what the tour environment is going to be like for the contestants this year. In America, the contestants of “American Idol” have for the longest time embarked on a tour every summer after the season, but in recent years it has struggled mightily with ticket sales, even to the point where many dates have been canceled or performed with embarrassing attendance and no house band.

Luckily, the advantage here is that the “X Factor” shows draw a much greater audience share still in Britain, and with the country much smaller in terms of land mass, it’s easier for people to attend concerts without having to travel so far. We wouldn’t be shocked if eventually there are some occasional attendance woes, but we don’t think it is going to be anywhere near a problem here like it is in the United States.

For now, are you just happy to see Paul on board? Share below, and head over here to get some further news worth singing over via our CarterMatt Newsletter. Also, head over here to read about Ben Haenow officially signing his record deal. (Photo: ITV.)