Sam Bailey wins X Factor final

Sam Bailey has beaten fellow finalist Nicholas McDonald in the final of this year’s X Factor show on ITV.

The prison officer, 36, received more than one million votes and thanked everyone for choosing her before performing her single Skyscraper.

Her mentor Sharon Osborne was tearful throughout much of Sunday’s show.

Bailey and McDonald battled it out after teenager Luke Friend was voted out on Saturday after they performed at London’s Wembley Arena.

When Bailey was shown her new CD single by host Dermot O’Leary, she was overwhelmed, but told the audience of 10,000 people: “I don’t know what to say. I just want to say that I love that boy to pieces, Nicky McDonald.

“He’s got the most amazing voice. I love him to death.”

She added that she was “just so grateful”, saying: “Thank you so much everybody. I really am appreciative.”

McDonald added: “If I was getting beaten by anybody it would be Sam. I just want to say thank you to absolutely every single person who voted for me. I love you all.”

Bailey has won a recording contract and will also support Beyoncé on the UK leg of her Mrs Carter tour in February.

Bookmaker Coral said on Sunday night that Bailey has cost the UK’s bookmakers more than £1 million after being the “most backed contestant in the history of the show”.

Bailey said on Saturday: “I’m just so overwhelmed by the support. This has been last chance saloon for me for the whole process.

“It’s been 20 years. It’s been a long time coming and I’ve finally got here so thank you so much.”

Sunday’s show included a duet between X Factor judge and singer Gary Barlow and Sir Elton John – the two of them performed on adjoining grand pianos.

Sir Elton described both finalists as “humble people” and said he agreed to perform because “Gary’s been a real friend for 20 years and when he picks up the phone you say yes, because I love him”.

Katy Perry and One Direction also performed earlier in the show.

The finalists each duetted with established singers on Saturday. Bailey was joined on stage by Nicole Scherzinger as they performed And I Am Telling You from the musical Dreamgirls.

McDonald duetted with former Westlife singer Shane Filan, singing the Irish boy band’s hit Flying Without Wings, while Friend and Ellie Goulding performing the singer’s hit Anything Could Happen.

X Factor is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and to celebrate, some of the show’s most renowned contestants including Jedward, Kitty Brucknell, Rylan Clark and Wagner performed a medley of songs.

Saturday’s show also included performances from singer-songwriter Tom Odell and The Killers, but drew its lowest audience since its launch year in 2004.

The ITV talent show managed to pull an average audience of 8.5 million, that includes viewers catching-up on ITV+1. It was a million lower than the final Saturday last year.

(Source: BBC News)