When it comes to The X Factor, Steve Brookstein is the great big embarrassment that gets brushed under the carpet while everyone goes on about how amazingly successful Leona Lewis is. Funnily enough, Steve isn’t too happy about this – four years on from winning the show, Steve’s revealed in a new interview that he’s still got it in for Simon Cowell. And it’s also emerged that the housewives’ favourite got a massive 5.5 million votes when he won the show – that’s 800,000 MORE than this year’s winner Alexandra Burke! "I resented the fact I was just perceived as a pub singer," says Steve. "The judges don't really care what's good. It's all about personality – if you're marketable, if you're easy to work with. They don't want somebody who is going to have an opinion. I said: 'You're trying to ruin my career.' And I'm branded as bitter. Well, no shit, Sherlock! It did take a long time to be philosophical, and not be angry about it.” Despite having a number one single and album, Steve was dropped by his record company just months after winning the show – and his follow-up effort on a different label totally bombed. These days, though, Steve’s still singing and feels much happier. “I may not have had the recognised success of other winners, but in terms of success as a human I feel blessed that I've kept my integrity,” he says. He adds, “I actually quite like The X Factor [but] when I see Simon talk absolute nonsense I can't understand why the public value his opinion. It is having a negative effect on Christmas. Simon Cowell bought the rights to Christmas. From now on it's called X-mas.” Well, at least he admits he’s bitter. Do you feel sorry for Steve or is it all his fault that he never became a big star?
Steve B's sure bitter!