Top 5 Talent Show Stars Who Surprisingly Didn't Win

Lemar was a huge act in the noughties, with his instantly recognise 2004 hit “If There’s Any Justice” - which reached number 3 in the UK charts. But lots of listeners forget that Lemar actually started out on the BBC talent show, “Fame Academy”. Although seemingly successful at the time, “Fame Academy” only aired for two series - and Lemar was the show’s best-performing graduate. The R&B singer came third in series one, but has gone on to score multiple top 10 singles and shift over two million albums - much more impressive figures than series winner, David Sneddon.

With five albums under their belts as well as four nationwide tours, plus a whole host of awards and five UK number ones - JLS had a truly successful career in pop music. So it’s hard to believe that the four-piece never actually won “The X Factor”, but finished runner-up to Alexandra Burke in Series 5 of the show. Coming second obviously didn’t harm their prospects, and Aston, Marvin, Oritsé and JB promptly signed for Epic Records in 2009. JLS split in 2013, to pursue various solo careers - but by that time the band was worth over £24 million. Not bad.

SuBo put in one of the most surprising performances in British talent show history, when her rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Misérables” brought the British public to their feet, in 2009. Watching that audition back, it’s almost unbelievable that she only finished in second place on “Britain’s Got Talent” - but she did, with dance group Diversity taking the win. Since then, Susan has released seven albums, earned huge success in America, and has even bagged six Guinness World Records thanks to unprecedented album sales.

Olly proved a star throughout “The X Factor” in 2009, but somewhat surprisingly lost out to Joe McElderry in the final. Since then, Olly’s stock has risen way above Joe’s, as Murs’s popularity continued to grow, earning him multiple UK number ones. The singer has also dabbled with presenting, although his one-series stint as co-host on “The X Factor” is mostly remembered for various live-on-air mistakes. Not that those have stopped him! Olly debuted as a coach and judge on “The Voice” in 2018, lining up alongside Jennifer Hudson, Will.I.Am and Tom Jones.

One Direction may have become one of the world’s biggest boy bands, but they didn’t even make the final two on “The X Factor”, in 2011. Having initially auditioned as solo singers before forming a group at bootcamp, they were eventually beaten by Rebecca Ferguson and Matt Cardle. But 1D’s worldwide fame would go on to easily eclipse both of those, as they became the most recognisable “X Factor” export on the planet. With four UK number ones, five albums and behind-the-scenes movies, they’re a worldwide phenomenon - finishing third-place didn’t hold them back in the slightest.