"34", "name" => "Specials", "category" => "X-Factor", "path" => "/var/www/vhosts/betting.betfair.com/httpdocs/specials/", "url" => "https://betting.betfair.com/specials/", "title" => "Who really won each X-Factor series : X-Factor : Specials", "desc" => "It's the X-Factor final this weekend, but as Dan Fitch has been finding out, the person who receives the most votes doesn't necessarily prove to be the winner....", "keywords" => "x-factor betting, alexandra burke, jls, leona lewis, steve brookstein, g4, Shayne Ward, leon jackson, rhydian roberts, joe mcelderrey, Olly Murs,", "robots" => "index,follow" ); ?>

Who really won each X-Factor series

X-Factor RSS / Dan Fitch / 08 December 2010 /

" class="free_bet_btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">
The official winner of the 2008 X-Factor, but not the real one.

The official winner of the 2008 X-Factor, but not the real one.

It's the X-Factor final this weekend, but as Dan Fitch has been finding out, the person who receives the most votes doesn't necessarily prove to be the winner.

After weeks of competition you are crowned as the winner of the X-Factor. Your prize is a lucrative recording contract. Superstardom is yours for taking, right?

Wrong. Very often the winner of the X-Factor proves not to be the real winner at all, as their achievements are eclipsed by one of the runners up. We've flicked through the pages of the X-Factor history books to reveal the real winners of every series.



Series 1 - 2004

Series Winner: Steve Brookstein
Actual Winner: G4

Steve Brookstein is the most notorious of all the X-Factor 'losers'. Having won the first series of the show and scored a debut number one single and album, his future looked rosey.

Unfortunately, Brookstein clashed with Simon Cowell over whether his second album should contain cover versions or original material. Brookstein was dropped from his recording contract with Sony BMG just eight months after his X-Factor victory.

The real winners of the show were the operatic group G4, who also scored a number one with their debut album. Unlike the official X-Factor winner, G4 were not dropped from Sony and went on to release two further albums and release a DVD of a concert at the Albert Hall. G4 split in 2007 due to disagreements within the band.



Series 2 - 2005

Series Winner: Shayne Ward
Actual Winner: Shayne Ward

If Steve Brookstein was not Simon Cowell's idea of a perfect pop star, the winner of the second X-Factor, the young and good looking Shayne Ward, fitted the bill perfectly.

Although Ward's fellow competitors such as Andy Abraham, Journey South and Chico Slimani all tasted some success after the show, none could compete with Shayne, with his debut single 'That's My Goal' selling 1.3 million copies. Ward's first two albums both went platinum and a third was released this year.



Series 3 - 2006

Series Winner: Leona Lewis
Actual Winner: Leona Lewis

No X-Factor winner has ever been more successful than Leona Lewis. Since winning the show in 2006, Lewis is the only X-Factor contestant to have tasted success in the United States, having topped the Billboard single and album charts.

Lewis' debut album 'Spirit' went multi-platinum and her single 'Bleeding Love' was a number one in 34 countries. Earlier this year, The Sunday Times rich list claimed that Lewis had an £11m fortune.



Series 4 - 2007

Series Winner: Leon Jackson
Actual Winner: Rhydian Roberts

If the third series of the X-Factor produced it's biggest ever winner, then the fourth series featured it's biggest bunch of losers. No one was particularly successful after the show, with the winner Leon Jackson being dropped by Sony BMG after his debut album and singles from it, sold poorly.

Though hardly a massive success, the default title of the real winner of series four of the X-Factor, must go to Rhydian Roberts, who sold more than 600,000 copies of his platinum debut and was nominated for a Classical Brit for his second album.



Series 5 - 2008

Series Winner: Alexandra Burke
Actual Winner: JLS

It seems a bit harsh to label Alexandra Burke as not having been the real winner of the fifth series of the X-Factor, because she has been pretty successful. Her debut album went double platinum and she has had three UK number one singles.

Yet Burke's impressive achievements, have been bettered by the series five runner up JLS. Their debut album went multi-platinum and they have secured four UK number one singles. JLS' second album is now out and they are in the midst of a huge UK arena tour.



Series 6 - 2009

Series Winner: Joe McElderry
Actual Winner: Olly Murs

At the time of writing, the official line is that all is well in the career of Joe McElderry, but in truth things don't look too promising for the series six winner. Unusually for an X-Factor winner, his debut album failed to top the UK charts, while it's lead single 'Ambitions' only reached number 6.

In contrast, runner up Olly Murs scored a debut number one with his single 'Please Don't Let Me Go' and has announced a large UK tour after encouraging album sales.

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>