Star Facts
- Joe auditioned for X Factor twice, the first time walking away because he felt too young
- The Stonewall charity has named Joe as one of their top gay role models
- In June 2011, Joe won another reality contest – Popstar to Operastar
- Joe’s song on the Chronicles of Narnia soundtrack was nominated for a Golden Globe
Biography:
Lovely, wholesome, toothsome X Factor winner Joe was born in South Shields. Growing up in a tiny flat in Tyneside, Joe always knew he wanted to perform and enrolled at Newcastle College to study the performing arts. A year before his X Factor success, Joe won the Pride of South Tyneside's Young Performer of the Year award.
Joe’s big break came when he auditioned for X Factor in 2009. In fact, he’d auditioned two years previously but walked away from the competition feeling he was too young. The second time around though, he became a firm favourite to win, and became like a little brother to his mentor Cheryl. Their matching accents combined to win our hearts and he was crowned the X Factor champion in December 2009, beating Olly Murs to the prize.
Signed to Simon Cowell’s label, Joe’s debut single The Climb just missed out on the Christmas number one spot, famously being pipped at the post by Rage Against the Machine’s Killing in the Name, following a Facebook campaign to keep X Factor winners out of the festive charts.
Joe’s since released a mildly successful debut album, sung on the Chronicles of Narnia film soundtrack, been dropped by Simon Cowell’s record label, and gone on to win Popstar to Operastar in June 2011. He’s now working on his new album, Classic, at his new label, Decca.