Millions watch cult entertainment show The X-Factor every week, but few ever get to go behind the scenes.

Not so for one Thetford woman, who has become an integral part of the way each contestant looks in front of the cameras.

Caroline King, 35, who owns a beauty salon, was selected through her work as a nail educator to travel to London and manicure the contestants hands.

She was such a hit she has been asked back every week to work behind the scenes on the potential pop stars.

Ms King, of Newtown, in Thetford, who owns Elysium Heavenly Treatments on Nowton Road in Bury St Edmunds, said she was a big fan of the show and had so far worked on boy band One Direction, Paije, Cher, Treyc and Mary's nails.

'We got there and were told we had to work around the rehearsals, but we did them all and they were lovely,' she said.

'Everybody said they were all feeling the strain and were all really homesick, but were nothing like you see in the magazines. They were all really nice people. I wasn't nervous about whether I could do it, but I was excited.'

Ms King, who has owned her salon for 17 years was chosen for her involvement with nail polish brand OPI. Three tutors, including Ms King plus one from Cambridge and one from Stowmarket, will now drive down to London every week on a Friday in preparation for Saturday and Sunday's shows. Unfortunately she will have to resign herself to watching the show on the television, however.

'I have an academy with up to 16 students at a time. Because of that, it came about they were looking for somebody. Our PR and marketing people said 'let us prove we can do it'.

'There were 19 people on the original team and the X-Factor said we could only bring three. We found out on the Saturday and were there on the Sunday being a bit star struck.'

She went on: 'TV and make-up and nails is always something I've wanted to get into, but it's really weird to think I was there. You have to make sure the nails last all the way through to the Sunday so I didn't concentrate on anything other than whether the nails look okay. You're there to represent the company and yourself and they cram so much into the time so it's pressurised but it's a nice pressure to prove you can do it.

'Next time I want to try to twist Cheryl's arm to let us do her nails.'

Ms King also speaks to Radio 1 disc jockey Jo Whiley on a Sunday morning, where she recounts her experiences.

The showswill be broadcast on ITV 1 at 8pm tonight and tomorrow.