Scots fireman blazes a trail to next round of The Voice

Fireman Stevie McCrorie proved he was hot stuff on The Voice last night as he won the vote of coach Ricky Wilson.

But Fifer Stevie told The Sunday Post he feared he’d be a showbiz loser as he was battling against EastEnder Jessie Wallace’s boyfriend Tim Arnold, 39.

“When I was told I’d be battling Tim I was worried,” confides Stevie, 29. “He’s going out with Jessie and he obviously hangs around with celebrities.

“As a wee working class guy from an ex-council house in Alva I just kept thinking that he had a lot of contacts.

“Preparing for the battle I reckoned he had that extra bit of a platform and might just come over better than me. It was a really scary thought.”

Stevie, who is based at Kirkcaldy fire station, also feared his rival’s greater experience would prove his undoing as they sang Imagine Dragons’ Demons.

The full-blooded version had Sir Tom Jones saying: “They came at each other like two boxers.”

Stevie says his rival threw in a few different things during the battle than he’d seen during rehearsals.

“If I hadn’t have been so focused it could have thrown me,” admits Stevie. “When I realised what he was doing it made me up my game a bit. I can understand it because he was trying to get through just as I was.”

Dad-of-one Stevie admits his nerves were shattered as he waited for the verdict.

“There was just a total sense of relief when Ricky went for me. The crowd were chanting my name but I didn’t really know what to do. I found it quite awkward as I felt really bad for Tim. He is a really nice guy and I just kind of gave him a cuddle and wished him all the best.

“He’s been texting me since saying he’s behind me and genuinely wishes me the best. It isn’t like some have probably been in the past where people end up a bit bitter about each other.”

Meanwhile there was heartbreak for Glasgow schoolgirl Morven Brown. The 17-year-old didn’t fare so well against Mitch Miller as the pair sang Madonna’s Express Yourself.

Coach Rita Ora said that she was plumping for Mitch because she’d given auditioning one final chance, whilst Morven was so young and this was just the beginning.

Despite Rita’s plea that one of the other coaches use their “steals” to take the Glasgow Academy girl onto their team no one threw her the lifeline.

But a number of other acts did live to sing another day as the coaches made good use of having two steals this series by snapping up those who faced going home.