X Factor star set for wild career change 14 years on from finding TV fame

Union J star JJ Hamblett is on the comeback trail and his mission is to reach the number one spot. But this time hes not practising for a stadium tour, but his return to the world of competitive horse racing after well over a decade.

The ex-apprentice jockey will be riding in the Lester Legends Race, an annual charity horse race for retired pros, at Doncaster Racecourse on September 11. Here he tells Jon Lees how preparations are going

Its been 17 years since JJ Hamblett took the last of more than 250 rides as a budding professional jockey. And hes finding the training every bit as gruelling as a stint in the X Factors Boot Camp.

When I sat back on a horse for the first time in 15 years, I thought Id be on a trotter but [trainer] John Gosden sent me to ride two horses up Warren Hill. I literally couldnt walk for two days, he says.

Now Ive started galloping and my legs are sore. But I have to admit its lovely to be back.

The 38-year-old made his name on the ITV reality show, as one quarter of boyband Union J, with Josh Cuthbert, Jaymi Hensley and George Shelley. But until then he was all set to join the family business.

JJs father Paul and older brother Ashley were jockeys so a career in the sport seemed inevitable. He joined the legendary Sir Michael Stoute as an apprentice, riding his first winner in 2005, one of 23 wins over five seasons.

But since 2010 his life has been far away from racings capital Newmarket, where he grew up.

I have had nothing to do with racing. I was living in Cornwall. I was in Union J for seven years. And I was doing other bits here and there, some acting.

In 2020 we got back for our ten year anniversary, but I hadnt sat on a horse for 15 years. When I moved back to Newmarket I got that hunger again and my best friend suggested riding in the Legends Race. So I thought Id give it a go for one final time.

JJ will have recently retired Frankie Dettori among his opponents, if he recovers from a recent car accident. But he also has plenty of racing friends in his corner, including his partner, former jockey Hayley Turner, and jockey Rab Havlin.

My first ever race was at Doncaster over a mile for Sir Michael Stoute, so now I am doing a 360 to ride again at the same track at the same distance, he went on. Ive always missed it. So to have the opportunity to do it again for a fantastic charity like the Injured Jockeys Fund is fantastic.

If I win that would be the pinnacle but its very competitive. Frankie is a good friend, and it was sad to hear of his accident, but hopefully he makes it to the Legends Race.

JJ is documenting his comeback for a YouTube series as he sets off on the challenge of relearning the skills he had abandoned to become a pop star.

I loved to sing growing up, he recalls. I am someone who chases adrenaline and I like to push my boundaries to see how far I can go. I had loved horse racing, but it was the actual races I was fixated on. I struggled with my weight and when the rides started to dry up it was very difficult to keep my weight down.

At the same time as riding out, I was going back and forth to London for auditions. We had a band called Rewind, which became Triple J when we were invited to audition for the X Factor.

We got as far as Bootcamp and I thought Thats it, Im going to be a singer. But we got kicked out and I went back to riding out at John and Thady Gosdens. I was gutted. Then two weeks later they got in touch and said, We want you back. Fifteen years later, Im now back at John and Thadys.

Union J were eventually eliminated at the semi-final stage of the ninth X Factor series. They signed a record deal and reached number six with their first single Carry You. The group was voted Best British Breakthrough Act at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards.

There were so many pinch-me moments, says JJ. The X Factor experience was fantastic. It was extremely hard but I wouldnt change it for the world. Getting through to Judges Houses was one of the best moments of my life, when they said Yes and Youre going through to the live shows.

Not many people who do the X Factor have successful careers after. We were very fortunate. We had a great team around us. We had two number ones, a sold out UK tour, a book. It was just a brilliant journey.

Even to be able to do reunions now is fantastic. We are looking at doing a 15-year reunion. We havent decided if its going to be a tour or a show next year but well be doing something.

I miss that adrenaline. Its the same kind of feeling when youre on stage, performing in arenas and stadiums. Thats what Ive been missing after Union J split up. Now I get to do it again by riding in the Legends Race.

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