THE X Factor is now the Ex Factor, with the once popular ITV singing contest having run its course.
Yesterday (Thursday, July 29), it was announced that there are no current plans to produce another season of the show, bringing it to an end after 15 seasons.
It comes as the Saturday night staple has seen a decline in viewership in recent years, coupled with Simon Cowell’s decision to focus on other television projects at this time.
While the later years haven’t hit the heights of years gone by, The X Factor was a huge deal between its first series way back in 2004, to the mid-2010s.
During that time, it launched the careers of many pop stars, including Leona Lewis, One Direction, and Olly Murs, and also saw the likes of Stacey Solomon, Jedward and Rylan Clark appearing on our screens for the first time.
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If anything, this goes to show that the best singers aren’t always the most memorable contestants – though it does help.
Over the years, Wales has produced some talented stars on the show, and some memorable moments too.
With thousands of people auditioning every year, we won’t be able to feature every Welsh contestant ever, but below, you can find some of the most memorable X Factor hopefuls from Wales through the years.
Let us know in the comments if we’ve missed out on a classic contestant.
Most memorable X Factor contestants from Wales
Rhydian Roberts
When? Season 4.
Arguably one of the most recognisable contestants of all time, Sennybridge’s Mr Roberts was known for two things – his singing voice, and his platinum hair.
Clearly the most talented member of the cast, Mr Roberts divided the opinion of audiences, with some likening him to a pantomime villain.
Nevertheless, he became the most successful Welsh contestant ever, reaching the final, before losing out to Scotland’s Leon Jackson.
Mr Roberts probably had the last laugh though, going on to release a number of albums, and appearing in both musicals and pantomimes in the years that followed.
Lucie Jones
When? Season 6.
Pentyrch’s Lucie Jones sailed through the first four weeks of live shows, before finding herself at the centre of one of the most controversial moments in the show’s history.
In week five, the Danii Minogue protegee found herself in the bottom two sing-off against Jedward.
But despite being the superior singer, Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh both decided to send the Welsh singer home, in a move which attracted over 1,000 viewer complaints.
Following the show, Ms Jones went on to secure a modelling deal, and appeared in a variety of musical productions.
Another notable career achievement was representing Great Britain at Eurovision 2017. But, as with every British effort at the song contest in recent times, she was unable to earn many points for her performance.
Lloyd Macey
When? Season 14.
From Ynyshir in the Rhondda Valleys, Lloyd Macey appeared in one of the later seasons of the show, and fell at the final hurdle before the final.
Finding himself eliminated in the semi-final, the then-23-year-old could only watch as English R&B group Rak-Su took home the crown.
After the show, Mr Macey went on to support Little Mix on a tour, performing in front of more than 150,000 people.
It is not clear what is next for him musically, though he did recently star on a S4C cooking programme – and is known as a strong supporter of the Welsh language.
Ant and Seb
When? Season 5.
Forget Ant and Dec, these two were more like Ant and Deaf when they auditioned with their unique take on Peter Andre’s Mysterious Girl.
Unfortunately for the Pontypridd pair, they only succeeded in making the judges laugh, before being escorted out by security.
Perhaps wisely, the brothers kept a low profile after the show, and it isn’t altogether clear what happened to them.
If anyone does know, let us know.
Zoe Alexander
When? Season 9.
Caerphilly’s Zoe Alexander clearly had singing ability, but it was her choice of song which came to be her undoing.
The Pink tribute act took to the stage and performed two Pink songs, before storming off, following criticism from judges Gary Barlow and Tulisa. It has since been claimed that the song choice was influenced by ITV producers.
The footage has attracted hundreds of thousands of views online since airing, and according to reports, Ms Alexander is now successful on the TikTok app, where she is often an outspoken critic of reality television.
Over 25 million people have viewed her video explaining what really happened during her audition.
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