X Factor Winners Where are They Now? Current Status of All 15 Seasons Winners

X factor

“The X Factor” is a British reality television music competition created by Simon Cowell and first aired on September 4, 2004. Produced for ITV by Fremantle’s Talkback Thames and Cowell’s Syco Entertainment, the show has 445 episodes over 15 series, with the final episode airing in December 2018. The jury, chaired mainly by Dermot O’Leary, includes luminaries from the music industry, including Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh Walsh, Sharon Osbourne, Cheryl, etc.

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Contestants of all ages and backgrounds compete for the chance to showcase their singing talents, attending auditions, training camps and live tours. The winner received a recording contract from Syco Music and a cash prize, although it was mainly used for marketing and recording expenses. As a cultural phenomenon, The X Factor enjoyed high ratings, peaking at over 14 million average viewers during its seventh season.

The show’s success led to the creation of international franchises, with many participants, such as JLS, Little Mix, One Direction and Ella Henderson, achieving chart-topping success. However, by 2011, ratings began to decline, leading to a temporary break in 2019. In 2019, two spin-off series “The X Factor: Celebrity” and “The X Factor: The Band” were launched. Finally, on July 28, 2021, ITV announced that it had no plans to produce another series, effectively shelving The X Factor as an important chapter in British television history.

Where are the X Factor winners now?

Here is the current status of winners from all seasons of The X Factor:-

Season 1: Steve Brookstein

Steve Brookstein, under the guidance of Simon Cowell, debuted on December 11, 2004 with the number one single “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” ” (Phil Collins) was crowned the inaugural winner, following a seven-year hiatus since its 2014 release. . Brookstein resurfaced in the summer of 2021 and began debuting new music as a solo artist with Four Destroyers.

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Season 2: Shane Ward

Shayne Ward scored the winner on December 17, 2005 with the original single “That’s My Goal” under the guidance of Louis Walsh. Following the release of her fourth album Closer in 2015, Ward began a three-year stint as a series regular on the soap opera Coronation Street. He is currently raising two children with his fiancée, actress Sophie Austin.

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Season 3: Leona Lewis

Leona Lewis won the number one spot on December 16, 2006 with the single “A Moment Like This” (Kelly Clarkson) under the guidance of Simon Cowell, and her first album “Spirit” was a huge success. In addition to music, she has explored Broadway, served as a judge on The X Factor and welcomed her first child with husband Dennis Jorge. Lewis will launch her “Christmas, with Love” tour in late 2023.

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Season 4: Leon Jackson

On December 15, 2007, under the guidance of Dannii Minogue, Leon Jackson debuted with the winning single “When You Believe” (Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston) Win the championship. Jackson has stayed away from the spotlight since the release of his first and only album, “Right Now,” in 2008, and shows no signs of a career resurgence.

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Season 5: Alexandra Burke

Under Cheryl’s guidance, Alexandra Burke captured the top spot on December 13, 2008 with the number one single “Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen). Since 2014, Burke has starred in West End musicals, participated in Strictly Come Dancing, and released her third album. In 2022, she welcomed her first child with Premier League footballer Darren Randolph.

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Season 6: Joe McElderry

Joe McElderry was crowned with the single “The Climb” (Miley Cyrus) on December 13, 2009 under the guidance of Cheryl and remains Holds record as the youngest male winner of “The X Factor”. He broke ground on his fourth album in 2012, and his fifth, Saturday Movie Night, was released in 2017. McElderry’s “Celebrating Music” tour begins in March 2023.

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Season 7: Matt Cardell

Coached by Dannii Minogue, Matt Cardle claimed the title on December 12, 2010 with the winning single “When We Collide” (Biffy Clyro). Caddell has been working on new music both as a solo artist and as a member of the band Seven Summers, with his last album, Time to Be Alive, released in 2018.

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Season 8: Little Mix

The first non-individual winner, Little Mix, coached by Tulisa, won on December 11, 2011, with the single “Cannonball” (Damien Rice), and are currently among the top ten best-selling girl groups of all time. The trio, which formed after Jesy Nelson left in December 2020, announced they would be taking a hiatus in early 2022 following the Confetti tour and the release of their greatest hits album, Among Us.

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Season 9: James Arthur

James Arthur won on December 9, 2012 with the winning single “Impossible” (Shontelle) under the direction of Nicole Scherzinger. His fourth album, It’ll All Make Sense in the End, was released in November 2021 and has produced six singles. Arthur’s most successful song remains “Say You Won’t Let Go,” which ranked No. 11 on the 2017 Billboard Hot 100 chart.

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Season 10: Sam Bailey

Under the guidance of Sharon Osbourne, Sam Bailey took the top spot on December 15, 2013 with her single “Skyscraper” (Demi Lovato). Following the release of her second album “Sing My Heart Out” in 2016, Bailey has released a number of singles and played Mrs. Potts in the British stage production of “Beauty and the Beast” in 2022.

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Season 11: Ben Heino

Under the direction of Simon Cowell, Ben Haenow became the winner on December 14, 2014 with his single “Something I Need” (OneRepublic). Haenow has continued to perform live since the release of her second album Alive in 2018. In 2021, he and his wife welcomed their first child.

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Season 12: Louisa Johnson

Coached by Rita Ora, Louisa Johnson, the youngest winner in “X Factor” history, debuted on December 13, 2015 with her award-winning single “Forever Young” (Bow Bob Dylan) won. Johnson has released a few singles while supporting Westlife on their autumn 2022 UK tour, but has yet to release a full album or EP.

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Season 13: Matt Terry

Under the direction of Nicole Scherzinger, Matt Terry won on December 11, 2016 with the winning single “When Christmas Comes around” (original). His debut album “Trouble” was released in 2017. Terry has since branched out into music stage productions, playing the role of Stacee Jaxx in the touring production of Rock of Ages.

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Season 14: Rak-Su

Under the direction of Simon Cowell, Rak-Su became the winner on December 3, 2017 with their original single “Dimelo”. Previously a quartet, they now operate as a trio following the departure of Mustafa Rahimtulla in November 2020. They released their fourth album (“Lost Tour”) and first mixtape (“Finally Free”) in April and September 2021 respectively.

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Season 15: Dalton Harris

Directed by Louis Tomlinson, Dalton Harris scored with the winning single “The Power of Love” (Frankie Goes to Hollywood) on December 2, 2018 . Recent winner Harris has been performing regularly since releasing her debut single “Cry” in 2019.

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X-Factor Overview

Specification detail
show title X factor
type Reality competition
Created by: Simon Cowell
directed by Phil Hayes
creative director Brian Friedman, Brian Burke, Elizabeth Honan, Jerry Reeve, Mark Swanhart, Ashley Evans, Anthony Guinanjar
Proposed by: Kate Thornton / Dermot O’Leary / Caroline Fleck / Olly Murs
Judge Louise Walsh/Sharon Osbourne/Simon Cowell/Danny Minogue/Cheryl/Gary Barlow/Tulisa/Kelly Rowland/Nicole Scherzinger / Mel B / Nick Grimshaw / Rita Ora / Robbie Williams / Ada Field / Louis Tomlinson
sound Peter Dixon, Red Hot Chili Peppers
country of origin U.K.
original language English
Number of series 15
Number of episodes Chapter 445
executive producer Simon Cowell, Richard Holloway, Beth Hart, Mark Sidaway, Cheryl, Caroline Davies, Lee McNicholas, Iona McKenzie
running time 60–150 minutes
production company Syco Entertainment, Talkback Thames (2004–2011), Thames (2012–2018)
network ITV
release September 4, 2004 – December 2, 2018

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