Some have gone on to singing super-stardom, others sunk to Z-list status within a matter of weeks. Here, in all their former glory, is the definitive list of X Factor winners…

2010 X Factor Winner - Matt Cardle

Cardle had been the X Factor favourite from day one so his eventual win came as no surprise to the British public. His winning song, ‘When We Collide’, predictably was Christmas number one and stayed there for 3 weeks, eventually becoming the second biggest selling single of 2010. Given the former painter and decorator hasn’t had much of a chance in the music industry yet, we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Success Rating: ***

2009 X Factor Winner – Joe McElderry

Given Joe broke the record for most amount of votes ever received in the X Factor final (over 6 million), it’s a surprise that the boy from South Shields hasn’t been more of a success. He became the first winner since 2004 not to make Christmas number one (losing to the Rage Against the Machine campaign), then his subsequent two singles made it to #6 and #68 in the UK charts. Finally in April 2011 he was dropped by Syco records, though he did go on to win the ITV show Popstar to Operastar later in the year.

Success Rating: **

2008 X Factor Winner – Alexandra Burke

Given she beat super-group JLS to top spot in season 5, Alexandra’s success should have been expected. Her debut single ‘Hallelujah’ broke the European record for single sales over a 24 hour period and her debut album ‘Overcome’ also shot to #1 in the UK charts. Within 2 years of winning the show, she had already secured three #1 singles, five top 10 singles, and a #1 debut album – in short, she is one of the few unqualified successes in the show’s history. Here she is performing her now famous X Factor audition.

Success Rating: ****

2007 X Factor Winner – Leon Jackson

Oh dear. Season 4 was a low point for the show and poor old Leon can lay claim to being one of the most unsuccessful X Factor winners in history. After the customary Christmas number one, his follow-up single made #3 in the charts but his follow-up song, ‘Creative’, peaked way down at #94. He was subsequently dropped by Sony and hasn’t released a studio single since 2009. Leon is still regarded as one of the biggest flops in reality TV history but he continues to make music so there is still time for that to change.

Success Rating: *

2006 X Factor Winner – Leona Lewis

Leona Lewis is unquestionably the biggest artist ever to come out of the X Factor. Both of her studio albums to date have shot to #1 in the UK charts, and her first post X Factor single ‘Bleeding Love’ reached number one in a staggering 34 countries, as well as being the world’s biggest selling single of 2008. She’s also followed up with 3 more singles making the top two, and also recorded the theme song for Avatar, one of the highest grossing films of all-time. Without doubt, Leona is the jewel in Simon Cowell’s X Factor crown.

Success Rating: *****

2005 X Factor Winner – Shayne Ward

To date, Shayne Ward is Louis Walsh’s only ever win as an X Factor judge. Though while he didn’t turn out to be the international star some were expecting, his chart performances have been fairly reliable on the whole. Five of his 6 released singles under Simon Cowell peaked at #14 or higher in the charts, while his follow-up album ‘Breathless’ made it to #2. However, he parted company with Cowell in 2009 and has subsequently released another album, ‘Obsession’, which hasn’t performed as well as he hoped. Not a complete failure, then, but not a massive success either.

Success Rating: ***

2004 X Factor Winner – Steve Brookstein

A friend of easyodds.com, Steve gave us his X Factor betting tips for season 7 of the show and proved himself to be a very affable man. Unfortunately his subsequent travails after winning the contest in 2004 have been well documented, and he was dropped from Song BMG just 8 months after signing up. Steve has since been a vocal critic both of the show and of its management, and though he has failed to break into the top #100 for a single or album since his break from Song, we wish him all the best for the future.

Success Rating: *