PALIN MITENK BLOG

By Charlotte Spratt and Richard Simpson

After more than 10 million votes were cast last night, Joe McElderry was crowned the winner of the X Factor.

The 18-year-old drama student from South Shields won with more than two-thirds of the vote and had been the odds on favourite to clinch the crown from 25-year-old Olly Murs.

The teenager looked visibly shocked as he heard the result and hugged his mentor Cheryl Cole.






Winner: Joe McElderry wins the X Factor 2009 and performs the winner's song surrounded by former finalists Lloyd Daniels and Lucie Jones

Crowning moment: Joe sings the Miley Cyrus track The Climb and is surrounded by the former finalists

He could hardly speak as he was handed a copy of his CD of the winner's song, The Climb, which went on sale straight after the show.

He eventually said: 'Thank you so much everyone. I can't actually speak. I want to say thank you to my mentor Cheryl and all the judges for their comments and to everyone who voted.
Cheryl Cole told him: 'I feel over the moon. I'm so proud of you.'
He had been the odds-on favourite for weeks after consistent performances week after week with his soaring vocals.
He won almost two-thirds of the 10 million votes cast in the final - 62 per cent - and had also won the public votes for the past four weeks.
In comparison, runner-up Olly Murs had won the highest number of votes on any night throughout the competition.

Stunned: Joe and Cheryl discover he has won the show

Joe will now be the favourite in the Christmas number one battle next weekend.

The winner's song, The Climb, is a cover of the Miley Cyrus single from Hannah Montana: The Movie and Joe said the lyrics meant a lot to him.

'It's an emotional song', he said, 'because it's whats been happening in the last few months. It all feels very, very surreal.'

Runner-up Olly Murs put on a brave face and graciously said: 'I'm massively proud. Joe deserves this, he has been phenomenal every week.'

Joe's win is even more remarkable given that he only started singing four years ago when he took the lead role in a college performance of Grease.

He first performed on the X-Factor in 2007 but walked out fearing that he was too young to stand a chance of winning.

Belting it out: Joe dazzled with his version of the winner's song earlier in the evening, which helped him clinch the title

Simon Cowell said that his performance of Whitney Houston's song Where Do Broken Hearts Go in the second week of the live shows was 'note-perfect'.

He also praised him saying: 'I have to give it to you. Whatever is thrown up at you, you just rise up to the challenge'.
As his last song on the show, Geordie Joe had chosen the crowd pleasing Don't Stop Believin' as his favourite from the series.

Defeat: Olly Murs was gracious as he discoverd Joe had won

Single: Joe's first single was handed to him by host Dermot O'Leary, and is out in shops and to download now

The song, originally by Journey, went down a such a storm with viewers during Rock Week that the original re-entered the Top 20 and it seemed to have a similar effect last night.

Simon Cowell told the teenager: 'I remember when I first saw you and told the other three 'this guy could win the show'. So in a way I feel responsible for your success. You could have a hit record with that.'

In contrast, Olly Murs chose Twist And Shout after performing his strongest songs - Superstition and A Fool In Love - the previous evening.

Judges: Cheryl Cole wore a long black evening gown with sheer panels from the thigh down, while Dannii Minogue looked elegant in gold

Both performed The Climb before the winner was announced.

And although the judges praised Olly's performance of the song, it was Joe's version that won them over.

Olly had a shaky start to the track and seemed occasionally to be overstretched and to miss notes but came back strong and was in tears by the end of the song.
Dannii Minogue told him: 'I have never heard that voice before. Where did that come from?'

Fun Factor: Joe may have had the better voice, but Olly Murs gave big dance routines with his performances

Dancing King: Olly was loved by fans for his quirky moves

And Cheryl Cole answered: 'You sang that absolutely beautifully. You tore that from your soul.'

Simon Cowell said: 'You just answered every criticism that you're not a singer, you're just a dancer. I can see now how much this means to you.'

But the judges were unanimous in praise of Joe's powerful and 'effortless' performance.

Crowd pleaser: Joe belts out Don't Stop Believin' by Journey

Louis Walsh said of it: 'You have the edge as you have the better voice.'

Dannii told him: 'It was a beautiful performance and it was effortless. it was beautiful. Something happens when you hit those top notes... I get tingles.'

Simon added: 'This is the first time I can really see and feel your nerves. Annoyingly, you were brilliant on the last half.'

His mentor Cheryl Cole broke down in tears as she said: 'You have been a pleasure to listen to and a pleasure to work with.

Star turn: Olly Murs and Joe McElderry perform Drive My Car with Sir Paul McCartney on last night's show

Top billing: Sir Paul McCartney sang Live and Let Die

'This takes me back to right back when I started all those years ago as a contestant. I have lived the dream and I just want to see you live yours.'
Shortly before the winner was announced, Paul McCartney, dressed in a Beatles-style tight-fitting jacket, sang Drive My Car and was joined on stage by the 12 finalists, before moving to a piano to sing Bong anthem Live and Let Die.
McCartney said of the two finalists: 'They're both good' and then quipped, 'one of them's got to win.'

Jedward are back: John and Edward Grimes returned for the finale of the series to sing Never Forget with the other finalists

And Simon Cowell joked: 'I'd like to say Paul, on behalf of all of us, you're through to the next round.'
Former winner Leona Lewis performed a haunting version of Oasis hit Stop Cryin' Your Heart Out as images of the series from the auditions to the finals played behind her.
George Michael, who sang Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me with Joe on Saturday night's show, sang his single December Song, which has been re-released.

Diva: Leona Lewis sang a haunting version of Stop Cryin' Your Heart Out

Former winner: Leona Lewis performs Stop Crying Your Heart Out while a review of the X-factor played out behind her
Last year's contestants Alexandra Burke and JLS also returned on the show and were reunited for a special duet.
The band initially acted as her back-up singers and dancers for her hit Bad Boys before JLS broke into their single Everybody In Love.
And there was plenty of chemistry between Alexandra and JLS member Marvin Hume who sang to each other on stage, and danced provocatively next to each other.

Duet: Last year's winner Alexandra Burke performed with the runners-up JLS

Chemistry: Alexandra and Marvin Hume get just a little close

Dance numbers: The two acts both performed their no1 singles Bad Boys and Everybody In Love

The show had opened with all 12 finalists singing Take That's Never Forget, and twins John and Edward Grimes received a massive cheer as they leapt on stage.

They are already making headlines with dozens of club performances and magazine photoshoots.

Last night Joe's proud mother, social worker Eileen, 47, said: ‘He's always been into performing. Every year when the family got together at Christmas the children would put on plays and dress up.

‘He's been brought up on karaokes, though he's ruined my karaoke dream because everyone just wants to hear him sing now.'

McElderry’s dream of becoming a singer seemed distant as he worked as a waiter to support himself through college.

Never Forget: The final two had their arms around each other as they burst onto the stage during the show's opening

Opener: All 12 finalists were reunited to sing Never Forget at the start of the show

His mother added: 'I'm dead proud of him. He has never had a singing lesson and his voice is totally natural. I knew he could do it. The support has been fantastic. I'm really proud people have got behind us.'

But with her son spending the past few months in London for the show, she admitted: 'I've missed him massively.'

Eileen is head of the behaviour unit at Mortimer Community College in South Shields. She split from McElderry’s father, Jim, also 47, when The X Factor star was just a year old.

But the divorced pair were putting on a united front when Joe returned to sing for his home fans at the Sage theatre in Gateshead last week. Jim, who lives in nearby Chester-le-Street, County Durham, is a probation officer.

His family have won more than £7,000 after placing bets on Joe to win, William Hill said last night.
'Cowell has killed us this is the worst result any of us can remember, watch them queue outside our shops tomorrow!' said Hill's spokesman Rupert Adams

Joe McElderry is now the 2/9 favourite to get the Christmas number one. Ladbrokes spokesman, Nick Weinberg, said: 'Joe is the toast of fans up and down the country. For weeks now he's look liked the only realistic winner and has justified his billing. Christmas chart success is virtually assured.'

December Song: George Michael performed on last night's show


source: dailymail.co.uk