Stage stars that have the X Factor

As well as the entertaining Saturday nights throughout the ’00s and ’10s, we have to thank The X Factor for giving us some of our most-loved theatre stars!

Alongside blooming pop careers, many contestants have opted for the stage. Similarly, so have some of the judges! Cheryl made her West End debut in 2:22 A Ghost Story, Nicole Scherzinger in a WhatsOnStage, Olivier and Tony Award winner for her Norma Desmond in a recent revival of Sunset Boulevard and Gary Barlow co-wrote the music for Finding Neverland and Calendar Girls – while Greatest Days is a jukebox musical featuring his hits with Take That!

The impact of the talent contest on pop culture cannot be understated. There was even an ill-fated musical, I Can’t Sing, based on the format – starring one of the country’s biggest names! Since it’s one of their birthdays today, after all…

Saara Aalto

The Finnish singer-songwriter starred as Scaramouche in We Will Rock You. It was quite the full circle moment after she performed with Queen’s current lead singer, Adam Lambert, on The X Factor.

Andy Abraham

Alongside Jade Ewen, Andy Abraham performed in the 2014/2015 tour of Godspell. In the concert production of the Stephen Schwartz musical, he played the dual roles of Judas and John the Baptist. In addition, he is a pantomime regular, narrated the West End’s jukebox musical Respect La Diva and toured Boogie Nights with fellow X Factor alum, Chico!

Rachel Adedeji

The singer and actress appeared on two series of the singing contest before landing a role in Hollyoaks. On stage, she has lent her voice to Thriller Live in the West End, played Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar and in 2024 featured in the Tony Award-winning Passing Strange at the Young Vic, where our critic commented: “…when she finally sings full out it is a joy”. Just in time for spring, Rachel Adedeji will be playing Persephone in Hadestown!

Shan Ako

Stage fave Shan Ako made her stage debut as Éponine in the 2019 West End Staged concert revival of Les Misérables before reprising the role at the Sondheim Theatre and returning for the 40th anniversary celebrations. In between her time on the barricades, she spent her evenings playing Eliza in Hamilton.

Sam Bailey

The winner of the tenth series of The X Factor, Sam Bailey, has appeared in concert productions, pantomimes and more! Next up, she’ll be heading to a Greek taverna to star in Mamma Mia! The Party with Peter Andre. Her first outing was playing the iconic Mama Morton in Chicago, with other credits including Fat Friends, Vampires Rock and 42nd Street. She played Mrs Potts in the London Palladium revival of Beauty and the Beast before putting on Miss Hedge’s red heels and taking Everybody’s Talking About Jamie on the road. Opposite Nina Wadia, Bailey played April in the new musical Now That’s What I Call a Musical.

Luke Bayer

This diva isn’t just live from hell, but from The X Factor! Luke Bayer starred in the original West End cast of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, and other titles include Hair, Rent, Millennials, Head Over Heels, Fiver, Soho Cinders, and Millennials. You can catch him on board the Olivier Award-winning comedy Titanique as Jack Dawson for a little while longer before he plays Ryan in the revival of High School Musical.

Alexandra Burke

If you’re of a certain age, you’ll likely remember Alexandra Burke‘s iconic duet with Beyoncé – a performance that certifies her gold standard voice. Luckily for us, not only has she shared a successful pop career, but one on stage too. Burke has played nun on the run Deloris van Cartier in Sister Act, the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, apt popstar Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard, and Morticia Addams in The Addams Family. She’s currently playing Chaka Khan in the world premiere of I’m Every Woman.

Matt Cardle

The West End will welcome another X Factor star in the coming months! Matt Cardle, who won the show in 2010, is strutting on stage as Charlie Price opposite Johannes Radebe‘s Lola in a revival of Kinky Boots. He made his stage debut as Huey Calhoun in Memphis, and even picked up a WhatsOnStage Award. Since then, he has appeared as Mendel in Falsettos, Wally Strand in Strictly Ballroom, Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar and Shakespeare in & Juliet.

Marcus Collins

Just a year after reaching the finals of The X Factor (Little Mix took the crown that year), Marcus Collins joined the UK tour of Hairspray in the role of Seaweed. Just like the beat, he couldn’t stop – going on to be part of the original West End cast of Kinky Boots, touring his second hair-titled musical, Hair, and more recently stopping for a pint at The Choir of Man, and playing Andre in Mrs Doubtfire. Next, he’ll appear in the European premiere of The Jonathan Larson Project.

Cassie Compton

Either under Cassie or Cassandra, this performer has had quite a stage career. She originated the role of Jean in the original staging of American Psycho at the Almeida (sharing the stage with the likes of Jonathan Bailey and Matt Smith, plus another X Factor contestant…), before taking quite the U-turn and playing the lead role of Julia in the UK tour of The Wedding Singer. In recent years, you may have seen her playing Nessarose in the West End production of Wicked.

Lloyd Daniels

The series six youngster went on to star in stage productions of You Won’t Succeed on Broadway… and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (which, funnily enough, so did that series’ winner, Joe McElderry!) More recently, he appeared in the new British musical Closets, which played at the Hope Mill.

Fleur East

After being the runner-up in 2014’s X Factor, spending a while playing that sax, competing on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here and Strictly Come Dancing (before taking a hosting position), Fleur East finally made her stage debut in 2025! She played the legendary Tina Turner as the West End production took its final bow.

Brenda Edwards

Brenda Edwards appeared in the second series of The X Factor and, in the following years, played Mama Morton in Chicago and Killer Queen in We Will Rock You. Later roles include Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray and Delores Van Cartier in Sister Act. The Loose Woman is currently originating the role of Tanya in the multi-WhatsOnStage Award-winning new musical, Paddington the Musical in London, London, London (IYKYK!).

Luke Friend

The finalist showed off his vocal prowess in the UK tour of American Idiot, playing St Jimmy. He hopped to a (very) different jukebox musical, playing Adam in Mamma Mia! The Party. In addition, he starred as the Busker in Lift and as Roger in Rent.

Aston Merrygold

One quarter of JLS, Aston Merrygold has enjoyed a breakout career in musical theatre. Back in 2016, he joined fellow boyband members Harry Judd (McFly) and Jay McGuiness (The Wanted), alongside Louis Smith, in a 1960s-style show, Rip It Up. Merrygold then cut loose on the UK tour of Footloose before playing the Tin Man in a recent revival of The Wizard of Oz. He earned his stripes (and spots) in 101 Dalmatians.

Lucie Jones

A performer who requires no introduction to regular WhatsOnStage readers! The WhatsOnStage Award-winning stage star has played more roles than we care to count, but is perhaps best known for Les Misérables, Wicked or Rent. She was in the London premiere cast of American Psycho and recently wrapped up originating the role of Jenna Rink in the award-winning stage adaptation of 13 Going On 30.

Leona Lewis

The third winner of The X Factor had dreams of being in musicals before she even competed. She reportedly secured a role in a French production of The Lion King but had to withdraw due to injury. As she sang in “A Moment Like This”, some people wait a lifetime to feel like they’ve achieved their dreams, but Leona Lewis did it, making her Broadway debut as Grizabella in Cats. Funnily, the role of the glamour cat was performed by Scherzinger in the West End production!

Amelia Lily

From the Narrator in Joseph to Princess Fiona in Shrek the Musical to Whatshername in American Idiot, Amelia Lily has played a variety of musical theatre characters!

Joe McElderry

South Shields star Joe McElderry is probably best known on stage for his portrayal of Joseph (are you sensing a theme?), a role he has reprised over the years, now also played Pharaoh. Other credits include Club Tropicana, The Who’s Tommy and plenty of pantos!

Jake Quickenden

From Judges’ Houses to the jungle, to the ice rink! Jake Quickenden is quite the television personality. On stage, he is known for playing Berger in Hair, with Collins, as well as Footloose and a recent tour of The Full Monty.

Ray Quinn

There’s a summer theme to Ray Quinn’s stage credits! He made his West End debut, spending his summer nights in Grease, and then toured in Summer Holiday. His other credits include Legally Blonde, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Dirty Dancing and The Wedding Singer.

Anton Stephans

Another X Factor finalist with a theme to their musical theatre careers! Anton Stephans led the cast of Moby Dick! The Musical at the Union Theatre (opposite Edwards, no less!) in 2016, and in 2022 starred in Fisherman’s Friends.

Giovanni Spanò

Giovanni Spanò roared into the musical theatre scene, appearing in the original cast of Bat Out of Hell and then playing the Lion in a revival of The Wizard of Oz! His other credits include Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella, I Should Be So Lucky and Guys and Dolls.

Lola Saunders

A wildcard choice for The X Factor, Lola Saunders made her stage debut in Save the Last Dance For Me.

Matt Terry

He likes to move it, move it! The X Factor winner led a touring production of Madagascar, followed by a run in How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Away from the family shows, he rocked across the country in a tour of Rock of Ages just a few years ago. The UK premiere of World’s Greatest Lover will see Terry and fellow winner Dalton Harris perform alongside Union J (X Factor contestants) member Jaymi Hensley. Speaking of Union J, member Jamie Lambert is one half of producers Lambert Jackson – responsible for WhatsOnStage Award winning productions!

Diana Vickers

When she isn’t going viral with a comedy song about Marks and Spencer’s “picky bits”, hosting her advice podcast, or being hilarious as one half of Ki and Dee, Diana Vickers is busy carving out a great theatre career. Her credits include her breakout role in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, The Duckhouse, Steel Magnolias, Dial M For Murder, The Entertainer, and, more recently, I Wish You Well – The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski-Trial Musical. Vickers was part of the world premiere cast of new musical, Coven, at the end of 2025.