They may not be household names anymore but the contestants from talent show Fame Academy haven't all gone back to working at burger bars and karaoke joints, far from it in fact.

The winner of the first series, David Sneddon, has turned himself into a successful songwriter while third-placed man Lemar is still writing and recording albums.

Sandwiched in between them in the final was Irish woman Sinead Quinn, whose career is considered to have flopped after her debut album only reached number 48 in the charts but she certainly hasn't shied away from music.

The 29 year-old has been writing and performing pretty much non-stop since the show and next Thursday is back at The Bedford with her new band The Dawnbreakers.

"A lot of people think that because you don't see us on television we have disappeared off the face of the earth," she says.

"But we are still in the music industry whether it be writing or producing or performing, we are not starving.

"I see Malachi every now and then and get the odd text from Lemar.

"I wrote a song with David recently too and he is doing great.

"I look back at the whole experience very fondly, I would not be where I am without it.

"It was amazing for me and I took from it lots of positive things.

"I was quite pleased with second because there is a lot of pressure on who comes first.

"I wasn't even meant to be in the group originally and had to come through a public vote to claim the last place out of the 12."

Quinn co-wrote the album that followed but was not given total freedom in genre choice, being told to angle herself as an angsty rock girl.

Now though, working with The Dawnbreakers which includes her husband, The Feeling's Paul Stewart, on drums, she insists she is much happier.

"What I am doing now is totally from the heart," she says.

"I have been writing lots since coming out of Fame Academy and this is the music I have always wanted to do.

"We are just happy gigging and touring at the moment and still don't have a manager but I would like to release something on an independent label in the future, not that there's anything planned."

Shuga Buddha featuring Jem Cooke, Kerry Leatham, Sinead Quinn and The Dawnbreakers and The Super Luckies, The Bedford, Bedford Hill, December 10, 7.30pm, £3. Call 020 8682 8940 or visit thebedford.co.uk.