Backstage at Wembley Arena walking through the labyrinth of tunnels that lead to the stage, the deafening sound of 12,000 people screaming themselves hoarse and thundering their feet grew louder and louder with every step.

I looked at her and she looked at me. Without saying a word, she pinched herself on the arm as if to say "is this really happening to me?".

That was six years ago and "she" was Katie Lewis, the Bristolian ex-Fame Academy student who sings like an angel and talks like Vicky Pollard.

And I mean that with love. Because when Katie appeared on BBC reality TV talent show Fame Academy back in 2002 aged just 18, she wasn't a preening stage school diva, she was just smiley Katie from Bedminster – an ordinary girl with an extraordinary talent.

In a moment of delicious irony, the number of audience members screaming for her at Wembley Arena was exactly the same number of auditionees she beat to win a place on Fame Academy, a show that was basically Big Brother with leg-warmers.

She and 11 others who passed the auditions were holed up in a London mansion for months, cut off from the outside world and filmed 24 hours a day. It was a performance bootcamp, with daily singing and dance lessons culminating in a weekly live show on BBC1 when all 12 sang and the one judged the weakest got voted off.

Katie and I met when I was the first journalist allowed to enter the Fame Academy and I interviewed her for the Post.

She eventually came sixth in the competition and she went on tour all over the UK and Ireland with the show's other young stars, the highlight of which was playing Wembley Arena and I was there that night to watch the show and celebrate with her afterwards.

I remember hearing the Wembley crowd chanting her name and thinking "she's made it".

But the next chapter in Katie's life is a cautionary tale that should be told to every young hopeful who dreams of becoming a star.

Legal red tape and a succession of inept managers meant that despite her talent she missed key opportunities with labels like Island Records and she was royally ripped off and let down.

She joined a girl band and when they weren't gigging at military bases, holiday camps and beer festivals they were spritzing perfume onto shoppers' wrists by day and schlepping around pubs doing drinks promotions by night just to pay the rent.

I met up with Katie during this period, and despite her brave face she was clearly exhausted and disillusioned.

Without any chart success, a year ago Katie decided to go solo and she's recording some new songs to be released next month.

Now aged 25, Katie would be the first person to tell you that for every Alexandra Burke and Leona Lewis who appear on a TV talent show and hit the big time, there are hundreds of talented young hopefuls who get a brief taste of fame before reality punches them in the face.

Katie deserves success. I wish her all the luck in the world.