X Factor previous winners: Where are they now – from Leona Lewis and Little Mix to Steve Brookstein

Being crowned winner of The X Factor can either be a blessing or a curse for wannabe pop stars, aiming for their first crack at the music scene.

While the likes of Little Mix have gone on to top the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, many have fallen by the wayside after being ruthlessly dropped by Simon Cowell after just one album.

For every Leona Lewis, there always seems to be a Steve Brookstein, with many former winners scattered across the music theatre scene and in reality shows.

As we gear up for the brand new series of the ITV competition, here’s the lowdown on what’s happened to every X Factor winner since 2004.

Matt Terry – 2016

Last year’s winner was Bromley-based 24-year-old Matt Terry, who was considered a shoe-in from early in in the competition.

He released the Ed Sheeran-penned When Christmas Comes Around in December but it failed to hit the top spot, debuting at number three.

Terry leant his vocals to the Grenfell charity single earlier this year and dueted with Sean Paul on single Subeme La Radio.

He is yet to confirm album plans but has just signed up to Celebrity First Dates.

Louisa Johnson – 2015

One of the youngest winners of the show, 17-year-old Louisa Johnson received the most amounts of votes in 2015.

Despite her popularity, Johnson had a disappointing start when her winner’s single only reached number 12 but since found success with Tears, her collaboration with Clean Bandit and Unpredictable with Olly Murs.

She’s yet to release her album but is expected to make an announcement later this year.

Ben Haenow – 2014

He was considered the likable everyman when he appeared on the 2014 show, but the former van driver saw his singing career take a nose dive shortly afterwards.

Although he scored the Christmas number one the year of his win, he was dropped by Simon Cowell’s SyCo after releasing just one album.

Sam Bailey – 2013

Thanks to her super strong fanbase and knockout first audition, it was no surprise that Sam Bailey was the 2013 winner.

Things looked promising for Bailey as her debut album, released just a few months after her win, shot straight to the top of the charts.

Her initial success was short-lived however, as she was dropped from SyCo in 2015 and is currently self-funding her second album.

James Arthur – 2012

It’s been a rocky road for 2012 winner James Arthur, who looked set to be one of the most original X Factor winners of all time thanks to his mixture of ballads and rap.

Impossible became the fastest-selling X Factor single ever and his debut album charted at number two.

He then parted way with Cowell’s record label after a tempestuous period in his personal life and a row over alleged ‘homophobic’ lyrics, but was re-signed by them in 2016 to release chart-topping single Say You Won’t Let Go.

Little Mix – 2011

One of the most successful X Factor exports of all time, Little Mix remain the only group to have won the show.

Their debut album, DNA, charted inside the top 10 in ten countries, including the UK and the US, as did second album Salute and 2015’s Get Weird.

As well as picking up a number of Brit Awards, the band is one of the few UK acts to have cracked the US market.

Matt Cardle – 2010

After a strong start to his singing career, including a Christmas number one with a Biffy Clyro cover, Cardle has had small bursts of success.

He has released three studio albums and embarked on a tour of the UK last summer. In 2015 he took on his first acting role in Memphis the Musical.

Joe McElderry – 2009

While his recording career didn’t get much further than a Christmas number one and one album with SyCo, Jo McElderry has gone on to find success on the stage,

After winning Popstar to Operastar in 2011, the 26-year-old played the lead role in the touring production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

He went on to play the lead role in rock musical The Who’s Tommy and reprised his role as Joseph in 2016.

Alexandra Burke – 2008

Her pop cover version of Leonard Cohen’s classic Hallelujah went to number one when she won the X Factor in 2008 (after performing on stage with Beyonce) as did her debut album.

Alexandra Burke released just one more studio album, Heartbreak on Hold, in 2012 before going on to replace Beverly Knight in the lead role in The Bodyguard on the West End stage in 2014.

In 2016 she lead the cast in Sister Act the Musical and she’s set to appear on this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Leon Jackson -2007

Jackson was propelled to victory with his version of Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey’s When You Believe.

Despite some success in the charts – he had one UK number one single, two top tens and a top five album, he has since fallen into relative anonymity after being dropped from record label Syco after just a year.

As of 2017, Jackson is still performing as a musician.

Leona Lewis - 2006

Lewis is credited by X Factor creator Simon Cowell with putting the show on the map. After boyband One Direction she is the series best-selling act.

In the years following her win she topped the charts, becoming the first British solo artist to achieve eight top five singles, but parted ways from record label Syco in 2014.

In 2016, she starred in the musical Cats on Broadway.

Shayne Ward - 2005

Unlike his predecessor Steve Brookstein, Ward managed to last a little longer on Sony’s books. He released two successful albums in 2006 and 2007 before a third album in 2010 underperformed, causing him to be dropped by Syco.

He has since appeared in the musical Rock of Ages and been a contestant on Dancing on Ice. Ward now stars as Aidan Connor on Coronation Street, with his role earning him a National Television Award for best newcomer in 2016.

Steve Brookstein – 2004

Following his victory on the very first series of the X Factor, Brookstein was dropped from the Sony BMG record label after just one album, despite his cover of Phil Collins’ Against All Odds faring better than the original by reaching number one in the charts.

The singer later attacked the series that had made him famous claiming it was “killing music”. Brookstein is still performing as a jazz singer.