Entertainment

Three former X Factor winners returning for all-star show, says Louis Walsh

‘Leona’s coming back, Alexandra, Shayne, they’re all coming back,’ the judge has revealed.
‘Leona’s coming back, Alexandra, Shayne, they’re all coming back,’ the judge has revealed. ‘Leona’s coming back, Alexandra, Shayne, they’re all coming back,’ the judge has revealed.

Louis Walsh has confirmed three former X Factor winners will be returning for the “all-star” version of the show.

Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke and Shayne Ward are set to appear in the contest, which will see former participants compete against each other.

Walsh also revealed Nicole Scherzinger will join him and Simon Cowell on the judging panel as they prepare to begin filming for another format of the talent show featuring celebrities.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, he said: “I go to Los Angeles on Tuesday, I go to Simon’s house in Malibu, it’s me Simon (Cowell) and Nicole (Scherzinger) and we’re doing the celebrity one.

“We haven’t been told who the celebrities are – I’ve just read bits in the papers. They want it to be a surprise to us when they walk out.

“It’s going to be great.

“And then we do the ‘best-of’ all in one week, all the winners are coming back. Leona’s coming back, Alexandra, Shayne, they’re all coming back.”

Tower block fire in London
Tower block fire in London Leona Lewis won the third series of the show in 2006

Simon Cowell announced earlier this year that he would launch two new series of the popular talent show – the celebrity version and an all-star edition.

It came after dwindling ratings for the latest series, with overnight audience figures plummeting to some of their lowest in its 15-year history while rival show Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One continued to flourish.

Walsh said he believed the time was right for the X Factor to change.

He added: “I don’t know what he’s (Simon Cowell) planning for next year but this year I think the celebrity version is going to be brilliant and then the best-of is like, wow.”

Shayne Ward
Shayne Ward Shayne Ward appeared in Coronation Street after becoming the second winner of The X Factor (Niall Carson/PA)

Lewis, Burke and Ward have all enjoyed successful careers since appearing on The X Factor.

Lewis, who won the third series of the show in 2006, went on to sell more than 30 million records worldwide, while 2008 winner Burke has appeared on the West End and reached the final of Strictly Come Dancing in 2017.

Ward was the second winner of The X Factor and has recently finished a three-year stretch on Coronation Street.

Walsh has had several stints as an X Factor judge and joked he had had “more comebacks than Frank Sinatra”.

The 66-year-old was one of the original panel when the show began in 2004 and stayed until 2014, before returning in 2016 and 2017.