'X-Factor' Star Involved in Terrifying Crash

By Allison Schonter

X-Factor star Mary Byrne is "grateful to be alive" after she was involved in an "explosive" car crash. Byrne, who competed on X-Factor Ireland in 2010, opened up about what she described as "the most frightening thing that has ever happened to me" in a recent interview with The Irish Sun, the star telling the outlet that she was traveling on the M3 near Basingstoke on Friday, March 3 when her tour bus crashed into a lorry, resulting in her and several others being taken to the hospital.

The terrifying crash occurred as Byrne was touring the UK with the cast of Menopause the Musical 2. The show had been scheduled at New Victoria Theatre, in Woking, on Saturday, March 4, and the tour bus was traveling on the M3 when it crashed into a truck that had braked after hitting a deer. According to the musician, "we went right into the back of him. The whole front of our bus was wrecked, the engine was destroyed." Images shared with the outlet showed the frontend of the vehicle completely smashed and the windshield badly damaged.

"It was like an explosion. That's what it sounded like. All I could see was people being thrown from one end of the bus to the other. Some of them had seat belts on, but some of them hadn't. I was so lucky I had mine on – this is the most frightening thing that has ever happened to me, "Byrne recalled. "You know the way you say your life flashes before you? I didn't see a flash but I saw my mother and father, and my daughter, all the people I have loved came into my head."

According to Byrne, two fire brigades and two ambulances responded to the scene. Byrne and fellow cast members Jessica Martin, Rebecca Wheatley, Susie Fenwick, director Kelly Sims and driver Jim Perrie were all taken to a nearby hospital, where they were treated for "sprains and bruises." Byrne said of her injuries, "my arm is very bad. I have tissue damage to my back and neck."

Due to the scary accident, and to allow time for the cast to recover, the Menopause the Musical 2 at New Victoria Theatre, as well as several other dates, was postponed, the theatre show announcing on Facebook, per Metro, "Several of the Menopause the Musical 2 shows have been rescheduled due to a road traffic accident involving the cast. Please see below for rescheduled dates." Byrne told The Irish Sun, "I hope the tour can continue. We need to get back on the road, so I can get over this. It won't make me stop," with producer Robert C Kelly, who was not involved in the crash, adding, "we're awaiting news as to how everybody is before we think about the show going back on."

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