Entertainment

Category: The Boys

Mentor: Cheryl Cole

Odds: 10/1

Nicknamed "the South Sheilds Stud", the student from Tyne and Wear certainly has strength - he walked out of an X Factor boot camp two years prior. And it turned out to be the right move for the Geordie, as he was crowned X Factor winner of 2009 proving it was second time lucky!

He raced to the front after a fantastic performance with idol George Michael in the final to win the coveted £1 million record contract. He is also tipped to be performing another duet - this time with mentor Cheryl Cole - for his debut album which is a guaranteed to be a Christmas best-seller.

According to reports, he may be heading stateside in the New Year, as Simon Cowell sees the dollar signs in his eyes at the prospect of taking him to Hollywood.

But which were this year's stars without the X factor?