The X Factor: where are all of the winners now?

Steve won the show 20 years ago in it's first ever season, beating runner-ups G4 as a member of the Over 25s category, with Simon Cowell as a mentor. He held the highest number of votes record for five years before Joe McElderry's win a few years later. 

He went on to criticise Simon Cowell, claiming that he was dropped from his record label after refusing to "play the game," and writing about his experience in his 2014 memoir Getting Over the X. He released an album, Forgotten Man, in 2014 - but recently resurfaced after he was photographed performing as a local restaurant. 

Posting a snap of himself onto Instagram, he captioned the post: "Just had a call from a journalist friend of mine. (One of the good ones!!). Old fat me is the No1 story on Mail Online!! I did a gig in a friends restaurant. Apparently I’ve changed. My Mrs keeps telling me to get down the gym. I better do it." 

Sharing another snap of himself trending in the news, he added: "I won The X Factor 20 years ago and they still have a go a me. A friend told me, 'They don’t shoot at mice they shoot at lions,' If you want a night of quality soul music book me direct. Don't give up." 

Shayne won the 2005 show - and a recording contract with Simon's record label Syco - as a result. After a hugely successful singing career, he went on to land a role in Coronation Street from 2015 to 2018, before going on to star in other movies and TV shows, including the lead role in Channel 5's The Good Ship Murder. He is currently competing on the hit BBC show Strictly Come Dancing alongside his pro dance partner Nancy Xu. 

Leona auditioned for X Factor in 2006 after struggling to crack the industry on her own. She won the show with an impressive 60 percent of votes, before landing a record deal with Syco Music, as per tradiiton with the show's winners. She signed a US record label too in a partnership with Syco with her debut album Spirit. She also performed the theme song for Avatar, I See You, which went on to become the highest grossest movie of all time. 

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She parted ways with Syco in 2014, signing a new deal with Island Records UK before going into acting, performing in Cats, The Oath and Walking on Sunshine. The singer also starred as a guest presenter on the hit singing contest I Can See Your Voice. She and her partner, Dennis Jauch, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Carmel Allegra, in 2022. 

After winning the 2007 series with a cover of Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey's When You Believe, Leon went onto selease two albums before going into songwriting, writing The Voice UK contestant Vince Kidd's debut single before writing his own music for a second album. The star is still working in the music industry, posting back in January that he would be sharing more in 2024 - so watch this space. 

Alexandra won in a very memorable year on The X Factory, releasing her first album Overcome with some hit songs including Hallelujah, Bad Boys and Broken Heels - which earned her three BRIT award nominations. Her subsequent albums, Heartbreak on Hold and The Truth Is were released in 2012 and 2018 respectively. She has also had an amazing theatre career, starring in The Bodyguard and Sister Act the Musical - before placing as runner-up on Strictly Come Dancing back in 2017. 

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More recently, Alexandra as starred in movie Pretty Red Dress and London Palladium's Jack and the Beanstalker. The star welcomed a baby with her partner Darren Randolph in 2022. 

Joe won the show in 2009, enjoying a hit single with The Climb before going on to star in Popstar to Operastar and The Jump. He also memorably portrayed Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. 

He has released five studio albums, despite parting aways "amicably" from Syco in 2011. In 2015, he went onto star in the rock musical The Who's Tommy, as well as portaying Pinocchio at the Theatre Royal as Jiminy Cricket in 2023. 

Matt won the show back in 2010 after performing with Rihanna, releasing a smash hit record When We Collide. He went on to release five studio albums, before going onto have a successful theatre career, starring in shows including Memphis, Jesus Christ Superstar and Jesus Christ Superstar. He is set to star in the UK and Ireland tour of the hit show & Juliet as William Shakespeare.

As perhaps one of the show's biggest successes, Little Mix smashed the competition as the first band ever to win the show in 2011. Consisting of Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Jade Thirwell and Leigh Anne Pinnock, the four women went on to have huge success as a band, before Jesy left in 2020 and the group continued as a trio before going on hiatus and pursuing solo careers in 2022. 

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Perrie is engaged to footballer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and the pair shaire a son they welcomed in 2021. Meanwhile, Leigh Anne is married to footballer Andre gray, and the pair share twin girls. Jade has been in a relationship with Rizzle Kicks star Jordan Stephens since 2020, while Jesy is dating rapper Zion Foster. 

James won the show back in 2011, having huge success with his first single Impossible. As well as five albums and hit songs including Say You Won't Let Go and Can I Be Him, he also featured in the Greatest Showman soundtrack with a version of Rewrite the Stars alongside Anne-Marie.

He welcome a baby girl with partner Jessica Girsts in 2022. Sharing a video at the time, he wrote: "Dear Emily, welcome to the world."

Sam won the 2013 series, ;anding the Christmas number one spot for the first time in three years. Following her win, she was Beyonce's tour support act in 2014. She released an album in 2014 before going into musical theatre, performing in Chicago as Mamma Morton while working on new songs. She also starred in the Vampires Rock musical tour, as well as Fat Friends the Musical. In 2021, she released a new single, a coer of Alannah Myles' Black Velvet. The star has three children, welcoming her third child Miley back in 2014 and appointing Sharon Osbourne as her godmother.

Louisa was incredible on The X Factor, and following her win, she went on to release a single with Clean Bandit, Tears, as well as feature on Olly Murs' single and headline at the Jingle Bell Ball. She has since worked alongside Sigma, Kream and Jonas Blue.

Matt, 31, won the show in 2016 before winning with Nicole Scherzingwr as a mentor over Saara Aalto. He released an Ed Sheeran-penned song, When Christmas Comes Around, as his winner's single. He released a debut album trouble, and has since released two new singles, You Don't Know Nothing and Ghost of Me.

In March 2024, he came out as gay, telling Gay Times: "Luckily, I have a family where I just came home one day and said, 'So, this is my partner and we’re together.' The whole family said, 'Awesome, what did you have for dinner?' I live now with an open mind and open heart, and I feel like we should all live by the statement that we all say: love is love." 

The second band ever to win the show, Myles Stephenson, Ashley Fongho, Mustafa Rahimtulla and Jamaal Shurland won the 2017 series as Rak-Su. The group went on to support Olly Murs on tour, released a series of singles including Check for Me and Close My Eyes. Mustafa left the band in 2020 while dealing with mental health struggles. 

While Ashley has gone into a boxing career, Myles appeared on I'm a Celebrity in 2019, placing seventh in the contest. 

Dalton won the final ever X factor competition, with Anthony Russell and Scarlett Lee as runner ups. He released a single, The Power of Love, as a duet with James Arthur as his winning single. A documentary about the star, Dalton's Dream, was released in 2023.