By Maureen Coleman.

Derry teenager Damian McGinty is getting used to the fame and media attention that comes with securing a role in the iconic US music show Glee.

The Glee Project, on Sky 1,  still has three episodes to go here in the UK but the winners were revealed in the US as the series was aired earlier on the other side of the pond.

Since he was announced as joint winner of reality television series The Glee Project last week, alongside California's Samuel Larsen, it's been back-to-back Press interviews for the Buncrana Road boy, who was one of 40,000 hopefuls who auditioned online for a coveted place in the show.

Damian, who was formerly a member of Irish vocal group Celtic Thunder, isn't quite sure when he'll start filming for the upcoming third series of Glee, but he reckons it will be in the next few weeks.

It is expected he will play an Irish exchange student - and he still can't quite believe that a Derry accent will be heard on the award-winning show.

"When they announced me as the winner, alongside Sam, it was one of the most surreal moments of my life," the 18-year-old told Sugahfix.com from his LA hotel.

"I had what can only de described as an out-of-body experience. I just couldn't take it in. To think that someone from Derry is going to appear in seven episodes of Glee is unbelievable. I'm still pinching myself.

"I've been busy all week doing interviews and television appearances, but I know to expect all this attention. After all, Glee is massive.

"The thing is, I do like my privacy, but I guess I can forget that now. But I'm quite liking the idea of getting more attention from the girls - that side of it I can handle and I'm looking forward to."

Viewers of The Glee Project found out last weekend from Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy that Damian and Samual Larsen had been selected for the parts in the new series.

But Damian had known for months and had to keep the news secret from everyone, save his parents and manager.

"It was so difficult keeping it to myself, but that was the deal, I had to. I was bursting to tell, but there was the contract at stake," he said.

"I found out at the end of April. I came back home for a while and all that time, couldn't say to anyone. I decided to do something with my spare time, so took some acting lessons at the Gaiety in Dublin.

"Now that everyone knows, it's a massive weight of my shoulders."

Damian has also signed up for more acting lessons in LA while he awaits news of when filming will start.

"Sam and I don't know yet when we'll be brought in, but we're having a meeting with Ryan Murphy to find out," he said.

"It's great having Sam with me. I know I'll be nervous, it'll be like being the new boy at school but with your best friend there too.

"I'm delighted he won as well, he really deserved it."

Although Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle was lambasted Stateside for her strong Derry accent, which many found difficult to understand, Damian says his twang was more of a help than a hindrance.

"I know people like Nadine and even Cheryl Cole got a lot of flak for their accents but I found that people really liked mine," he said.

"I was never told that they couldn't understand it. In fact, I'd say it was a help for me. In America, everyone loves the Irish and about 90% of them have some connection with here, so it was never a problem for me.

"I'm just thrilled that I'm getting to fly the flag for Derry on one of the biggest shows on television."

Damian, who has an older brother and sister (Emmett and Gemma), said his joy at winning was mixed with some sadness at having to leave Celtic Thunder.

"That was the only real bittersweet thing about winning," he said.

"I owe so much to Phil Coulter and Sharon Brown, without them I wouldn't be here. But they are thrilled for me."

And he's now looking forward to getting to work alongside such stars as Matthew Morrison (Will Schuester) and Jane Lynch (Sue Sylvester).

"Some of the big names will be leaving this series, but Ryan said he wanted to stay true to the idea of high school and that people graduate and move on," he said.

"New students then come in - and that'll be me and Sam. It's going to be amazing.

"Taking part in The Glee Projcet has been the most incredible experience of my life and I can't wait to see what happens next."