Where are they NOW? As Sam Bailey resorts to gigging in a bingo hall, other X Factor winners' struggles with depression, addiction and chart failure revealed
- The 2013 winner 'is no longer with' Simon Cowell's record label Syco
- 2006 victor Leona Lewis said at points she felt 'extremely depressed'
- Matt Cardle was admitted to rehab clinic The Priory in late December 2013
After winning the ITV talent show The X Factor in 2013, Sam Bailey became a household name, bagging the coveted Christmas number one slot and joining Beyonce on tour.
But two years on, the 37-year-old London-raised singer has parted ways with Simon Cowell's Syco record label and swapped stadium arenas for small, local gigs.
In fact, the mother-of-three was spotted performing a four-track set aT the Mecca bingo hall in Hartlepool on Friday, 22 May.
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Former X Factor winner Sam Bailey was seen performing a four-track set at Mecca bingo hall in Hartlepool
The singer, who was mentored on the show by Sharon Osbourne, sported a glittery black top and skin-tight leather trousers as she belted out a handful of songs from her debut album, The Power Of Love.
Despite Sam enjoying chart success and having a best-selling album under her belt, her lowkey gig has fans asking if her 15 minutes of fame are over.
A Syco source told MailOnline: 'Everyone wishes Sam all the best for the future. After discussion, it was just felt it was the right time to follow different paths.'
A spokesman for the record label confirmed the news which emerged in February: 'Sam Bailey is no longer with Syco.'
As a new series of X Factor begins filming, with unknowns singing their hearts out in the hope of fame and recognition, we look back at the reality juggernaut's previous winners to see if their brush with the limelight became permanent or if they've fallen back into obscurity.
After putting his experiences in a book called Getting Over The X, Steve became the poster-boy of treachery of reality-show-based fame
1. 2004: STEVE BROOKSTEIN
Steve Brookstein, 46, from London, enjoyed the distinction of winning the first series of the singing contest with a respectable six million votes, but things took a nose-dive
His winner's single - a cover of Phil Collins' Against All Odds - was pipped to the Christmas number one slot by the Band Aid 20 revamp of hit Eighties anthem, Do They Know It's Christmas?.
Things looked like they could be on the up as Steve's debut album, Heart And Soul went in to the charts at number one but that was his last taste of success.
After becoming embroiled in a feud with mentor Simon Cowell, he was dropped by SonyBMG just eight months into his contract.
Steve Brookstein is congratulated by host Kate Thornton and Simon Cowell after winning the first series of The X Factor in 2004
In a cliched fall from grace, by 2007 Steve was performing on the Portsmouth to Bilbao P&O cruise ferry and in Costa Coffee shops.
In 2014 he signed a new music deal, releasing his third album Forgotten Man in March 2014 but it failed to chart.
After putting his experiences in a book called Getting Over The X, he is still recording and touring but to intimate audiences in clubs rather than the arenas he once dreamed of.
2. 2005: SHAYNE WARD
Shayne Ward was given a million pound recording contract with Simon Cowell's Syco label
Roguishly good-looking heartthrob Shayne Ward, 30, bagged The X Factor's first Christmas number one with the original song, That's My Goal in 2005.
Selling 313,000 copies on its first day, the single became the fourth fastest selling track of all time - behind Will Young's Evergreen, Gareth Gates's Unchained Melody and Elton John's Candle In The Wind.
Thanks to his success, the Tameside-born singer was given a million pound contract with Syco, who released his debut self-titled album in 2006.
Shayne will return to our TV screens this summer having just signed a one-year contract with Coronation Street
After reaching the top of the charts, it was certified four times platinum in Ireland and platinum in the UK.
Shayne's follow-up album, Breathless also sold well and reached number two but he was dropped by the record label following poor sales of his third album in 2010.
In 2011, he turned his hand to acting - starring in the 1980s-themed musical Rock Of Ages in London's West - and in 2013 showed off his skating skill on reality show Dancing On Ice.
Seemingly putting his music career on hold, Shayne will return to our TV screens this summer having just signed a one-year contract with ITV soap opera Coronation Street.
3. 2006: LEONA LEWIS
After winning the 2006 series, Leona Lewis released a cover of Kelly Clarkson's A Moment Like This
After starring in 80s-inspired musical Walking On Sunshine, Leona is busy working on her fifth album, set for release in June
Brit School alumna Leona Lewis, 30, from London, was the show's first winner to become a global star.
After blowing all other the competition off the stage in the 2006 series, she released a cover of Kelly Clarkson's A Moment Like This, which made it to Christmas number one and sold more copies than the rest of the top 40 combined.
Her first post-X Factor single, Bleeding Love stayed at number one for seven weeks and topped the charts as far afield as New Zealand, Australia and Canada.
Leona's brand of pop-friendly R&B brought her three Grammy Award nominations and saw her sell millions of records in Britain and the US.
Leona Lewis attended the Cannes Film Festival in an off-the-shoulder white dress which revealed her colourful tattoos
However, success has came at a price. She decided to part ways with Syco in June 2014, signing a new deal with Universal's Island Records.
Speaking at the time she said: 'It has been quite the rollercoaster year. The emotions I've felt have been more powerful, in both a positive and negative way, than anytime I've ever felt in my life.
'At some points I felt extremely depressed and other times experienced amazing highs, but it got to a place where the downs were outweighing the ups.'
After completing two world tours, starring in Eighties-inspired musical Walking On Sunshine and visiting the Cannes Film Festival, Leona is busy working on her fifth album, set for release in June.
4. 2007: LEON JACKSON
Pint-sized champion Leon Jackson sobs on the shoulder of X Factor presenter Dermot O'Leary
Pint-sized Scottish pop star Leon Jackson, 26, from West Lothian, won over the nation with his trendy asymmetric haircut and sharp suits back in 2007.
An unexpected winner, his champion's single - an arrangement of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston's duet When You Believe - bagged the Christmas number one spot that year.
Reports claim it sold 40 copies a minute in Woolworths at its peak.
But poor Leon slowly fell out of the limelight.
His follow-up track Don't Call This Love peaked at number three and debut album Right Now only made it to number four. He was dropped by Syco in 2009.
Leon is said to have turned his hand to song-writing.
5. 2008: ALEXANDRA BURKE
Alexandra Burke wept as she performed with her idol Beyonce on The X Factor 2008 series
Despite embarrassingly weeping her way through a performance with her idol Beyonce, Alexandra Burke, 26, from London, was tipped to be the next Leona Lewis.
After beating body-popping boy band JLS to the winner's title with her cover of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, she scored a Christmas number one plus several BRIT and MTV award nominations.
On top of her UK success she was a hit across the pond bagging a £3.5 million, five album US deal with Epic records.
Alexandra Burke recently replaced Beverley Knight as the lead in hit West End show, The Bodyguard
Her debut album Overcome - the first single from which featured rapper Flo Rida - was released in October 2009 and made it to number one.
Alexandra became the face of Dolce & Gabbana in the UK, Nintendo DS, deodorant brand Sure Women and a cocktail company.
But her pop career has since been on the wane and last year she parted with her management.She wrote in a heartfelt statement at the time: 'To not beat around the bush, the last couple of years have been really challenging, professionally & personally.
'There have been some targets and dreams that I wished I could have accomplished but due to various factors, (some beyond my control and some that I need to learn from), they have not been achieved.'
But with a new EP, Renegade, which was released in January, and a national tour in which she replaces Beverley Knight as the lead in The Bodyguard, the singer could be getting back on top.
6. 2009: JOE MCELDERRY
Joe McElderry shares his elation on bagging The X Factor winner's title with mentor Cheryl Fernandez-Versini
His Geordie accent, easy wit and boy band good looks endeared Joe McElderry, 23, from South Shields, to everyone from pre-teen girls to grannies.
Yet, after winning the 2009 series, Joe McElderry was caught up in one of the X Factor's biggest controversies.
His winner's single, a cover of Miley Cyrus's The Climb, was the first to be beaten to the Christmas top spot for four years.
It was pipped to the post by Rage Against The Machine's Killing In The Name, following a social media campaign in protest against the programme's grip on the Christmas number one tradition.
Joe has a knack of winning reality shows, bagging the top prize on Popstar to Opera in 2011 and skiing content The Jump in 2014
In 2010 Joe announced that he was gay and was cited as a role model by gay charity Stonewall.
His debut album, Wide Awake, peaked at a respectable number three but dropped out of the top 40 within three weeks.
In total, the album had sold just over 100,000 copies by December 2010. Joe's contract with Syco expired in 2011 and wasn't renewed.
He has spoken of his unhappiness about his time with the label but said the split was 'amicable'.
However, he went on to sign with Decca, with his album Classic reaching No.2 in the UK album charts in 2011, selling over 250,000 copies.
But Joe has a knack of winning reality shows - he bagged the top prize on Popstar to Opera in 2011 and won skiing contest The Jump in 2014.
7. 2010: MATT CARDLE
Host Dermot O'Leary congratulations 2010 winner Matt Cardle and his mentor Dannii Minogue
Former painter and decorator Matt Cardle, 32, triumphed in the 2010 series after winning over the voters of Britain with his down-to-earth demeanour and collection of flat caps.
The Essex stud's winner's single - a cover of Biffy Clyro's only ballad, Many of Horror (retitled When We Collide) - regained Syco's grip on the festive top spot, where it stayed for three weeks.
It sold an impressive 170,000 copies in its first two days on sale.
Matt's debut album, Letters, received a warm reception and stayed on the chart for 16 weeks, peaking at number two.
Matt was admitted to The Priory in late December 2013 to be treated for addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol
Unfortunately, the former handy-man's follow-up singles fared less well and he parted ways with Syco and Columbia records in 2012.
Since then he's released a couple of albums, collaborated with former Spice Girl Mel C and continues to tour, but he has not seen the same success as the act that came third in 2010 - One Direction.
Matt has also had to deal with personal struggles. He was admitted to The Priory on Boxing Day 2013 to be treated for addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol.
He said at the time, 'I was so out of it - I was like a zombie.'
Matt is on the path to recovery and is set to release his fourth album later this year.
8. 2011: LITTLE MIX
Girl group Little Mix were the first band to win The X Factor back in 2011
Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall entered the singing contest as solo artists.
Judge Tulisa Contostavlos decided to put them together as a band after bootcamp and they went on to be the first group to win The X Factor.
The foursome's winner's single, a cover of Damien Rice's Cannonball, charted at number one the week before Christmas, but was knocked off by the Military Wives.
Their debut album was released in November 2012 and in January 2013 they signed with Columbia Records.
The foursome, who are set to release a new album, have enjoyed chart success on both sides of the Atlantic
The girls have had success on both sides of the Atlantic, earning the highest debut US album chart position by a British group - an accolade previously held by the Spice Girls.
They have fronted big campaigns for the likes of sweet brand M&Ms, launched a clothing brand with Primark and have their own make-up range with Collection.
But the singers' personal lives have also been of interest to their fans, with Perrie Edwards thrust into the limelight over speculation about her relationship with former 1D singer Zayn Malik
Following two headline tours, Little Mix are set to release their eagerly-awaited third album in the spring.
9. 2012: JAMES ARTHUR
James Arthur won series nine of The X factor and hit the top of the charts with his winner's single Impossible
Scruffy, soft-toned singer James Arthur, 27, from Middlesbrough, won series nine of the hit talent show in 2012.
His cover of Shontelle's 2010 song Impossible became the fast-selling X Factor winner's single ever.
Things started off really well for northern lad James as his self-titled debut album went in at number two and sold more than 1.25 million copies in the UK.
James became involved in a number of scandals, most notably about the use of homophobic lyrics in a song
But outspoken James became involved in a number of scandals, most notably about the use of homophobic lyrics in a song, which led to high profile Twitter rows with celebrities including Frankie Boyle and Matt Lucas.
He began bad-mouthing musical peers and iTunes offered refunds on his album due to public outcry.
He had a 'mutual parting' with Syco in June 2014.
James is now said to be working on his second album and is 'close' to signing a record deal with a different label.
10. 2013: SAM BAILEY
Sam Bailey can't hide her shock as her mentor Sharon Osbourne celebrates her winning the show
Sam took to her Twitter account earlier this year to say she had split from Syco just 14 months after winning
Sam Bailey beat rivals Nicholas McDonald and Luke Friend to victory on the 2013 series and her winner's single, a cover of Demi Lovato's Skyscraper was the first since 2010 to take the Christmas number one spot, selling 149,000 copies.
Since then she's supported Beyonce at a live show in Birmingham and had the first X Factor number one album since Alexandra Burke's 2009 debut.
A 15-date UK tour followed and Sam released a tell-all autobiography.
However, she took to her Twitter account earlier this year to say she had split from Syco just 14 months after winning.
11. 2014: BEN HAENOW
Former van driver Ben Haenow won last year's series of The X Factor, beating Fleur East
After beating Fleur East to the X Factor top spot last year, former van driver Ben Haenow, from Croydon, is said to be busy working on his debut album.
He signed to Simon Cowell's Syco on his 30th birthday and the pop mogul is 'thrilled' to have him on his label.
The singer said: 'To say I'm excited to become part of the Syco family is an understatement.
Ben Haenow signed to Simon Cowell's Syco record label in January 2015
'Getting to work with Simon during the show was incredible.
'He is a great guy and amazing mentor - and really helped me as an artist.'
The X Factor boss echoed his sentiments: 'Ben is a great talent - and a great guy. I'm thrilled he is now officially part of the Syco family and can't wait to get working with him on his first album.'
He told The Mirror that he's not worried about the 'curse of The X Factor and winning', adding: 'I really just feel in such a good place and so confident that I’m not worried at the moment.'
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