8:27am Wednesday 19th March 2008
Oprah Winfrey has praised Bleeding Love singer Leona Lewis.
The American chat show queen told the X Factor winner: "You're the real deal girl" when she appeared on her programme.
Rising star Leona, a former student at Croydon's Brit School, wowed the studio audience with a performance and received a standing ovation.
Oprah then went on to say: "Talk about a star is born!"
Leona's mentor Simon Cowell said he had been "dying" to launch his protégé in the States.
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