Ireland's Damian McGinty has opened up about his 'amazing' Glee Project win.

Glee executive producer Ryan Murphy surprised everyone, including the contestants, by announcing that there were two winners of the reality competition: Samuel Larsen, 19, and Damian McGinty,18, both won seven-episode arcs on the hit show.

Murphy also announced that runners-up Lindsay Pearce, 20, and Alex Newell, 18, would receive two-episode arcs during Glee's upcoming third season.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, McGinty said: "For the four of us, it's an amazing feeling knowing that as a group and as a unit we have all basically got ourselves a part on Glee. So in many ways all four of us won at this point."

As for the moment the winners were announced, McGinty recalled: "Ryan said great things about us. But then he said, 'Samuel, you've won The Glee Project.' For me, it was very much a sinking feeling. My heart sunk. I felt like I got so close but I was a million miles away.

"But I congratulated Samuel because he deserved it and he worked hard for it and he was consistent. But then Ryan turned around and said, 'Well Damian you don't have to worry because you also won.' Seeing my reaction, I nearly killed myself. I nearly hit my head off of a piano. It was just ridiculous."