SINGER Lee Parkinson has praised Popstars judge Pete Waterman despite being dumped from the show for the second time.

Lee, 18, from Leyland, had kept his promise to lose four stone when he appeared at closed auditions at Manchester's Lowry Hotel for the new series.

The teenager auditioned for Pop Idol a year ago but went on a crash diet when Waterman told him he was too fat to make it to number one.

He was distraught again after Waterman and fellow judge Geri Halliwell told him he still did not shape up as a pop star during the audition for Pop Stars: The Rivals.

But the barman vowed to carry on and thanked Waterman for his comments.

"I know Pete Waterman's got a reputation for being fierce, but he was lovely to me and I'd have to say he's changed my life," said the teenager. "He told me to try for the new series of Pop Idol and I've already applied."

Lee was shattered last year when Waterman told him during a Pop Idol audition: "You've got a great voice, but come back when you've lost four stone."

The youngster later joined his local Weight Watchers and ditched the junk food and TV dinners.

Lee added: "Last year I was gutted when Pete told me I was overweight. After I sang to him he told me I had a great voice but was too fat.

"Basically he slaughtered me and I was really upset, but now I say he did me a huge favour. I joined my local Weight Watchers, stopped eating junk food and snacks and started working out.

"Now I've got a completely new look, new hairstyle, new clothes but Pete still recognised me.

"He said I'd done really well and taken the second step but that again I wasn't what they were looking for this time. If it was Pop Idol I'd have got straight through no problem, but he said they had a certain look they were after and had to be really brutal."