It might have only just finished, but we're already reminiscing about the X Factor. How will we survive without it? This season's highlights will keep us going. for now...
Diana Vickers, her hippy-style voice and her barefoot antics brought a whole new tone to the show this year.
She charged through the comp, despite a heavy bout of laryngitis.
Di was eventually evicted in the semi-finals, but we reckon her future's pretty bright...<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Diana-Vickers-1008.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Diana Vickers 10.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
And let's not forget the beautiful love between Diana and fellow contestant Eoghan Quigg.
They tried to shrug it off, but nothing could disguise their mutual torment when they were torn apart in the semi-finals - he beating her through to the next round.
Is this The X Factor's first serious couple?<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Eoghan-Quigg-and-Diana-Vickers-1208.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Eoghan Quigg and Diana Vickers 12.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
Moving on to the other finalists, and Alexandra Burke knocked us for six with her sizzlin' rendition of Christina Aguilera's Candyman on big band night.
It was the first time we noticed just what a humongous talent she really is...<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Alexandra-Burke-1208-13.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Alexandra Burke 12.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
They spent the whole series charming everyone with their close brother-style bond, co-ordinated wardrobes and light bulb smiles.
It's little wonder that JLS stole the X Factor show on many occasions - some saw Aston Merrygold as the fave of the band, but personally we just loved the rare feeling of genuine malehood going down between all of them.<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/JLS-1208-1.jpg","width":385,"height":420,"alt":"JLS 12.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
Laura White was amazing - but the world literally rocked (dramatic, us?) when she was voted off the comp in a sing-off against Ruth Lorenzo.
We don't know who was more devastated - herself, Ruth or Dermot O'Leary.
Never before has there been such an outcry over eliminations - Laura had online petitions with thousands of fans subscribing and everything...<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Laura-White-Dermot-OLeary-and-Ruth-Lorenzo-1208.jpg","width":385,"height":420,"alt":"Laura White, Dermot O'Leary and Ruth Lorenzo 12.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
Ruth Lorenzo, rock wannabe extraordinaire, was a total hit on the show.
You could always count on her to belt out a winner (especially if she was in the bottom two), as well as flash her enviable cleavage and have a flirt with Simon.
Yup, we loved her - and so did everyone else...<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Ruth-Lorenzo-1208.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Ruth Lorenzo 12.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
The X Factor has probably been a total revelation for sweet lil' Eoghan.
Not only did he get close to Diana - dance coach Brian Friedman also demanded that he sex it up on stage with some pretty female dancers.
It's a teen boy's dream come true.<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Eoghan-Quigg-1108.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Eoghan Quigg 11.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
Remember Scott Bruton?
He really was such a cheeky chappy - and we loved seeing his transformation from under-confident lad to full-on crooner/David Beckham-style heart throb.<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Scott-Bruton-1008.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Scott Bruton 10.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
Ah, and then there was Austin Drage.
Some felt he got booted prematurely, but he sure could belt out those big notes, couldn't he?<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Austin-Drage-1208.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Austin Drage 12.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
What a trouper Daniel Evans was.
Granted, he didn't have the best voice in the world - but he'll always have a place in our hearts for managing to smile, week after week, no matter how many insults he clocked up from the judging panel.
And we also hearted the way Dermot always stuck up for him too...<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Dermot-OLeary-1108.jpg","width":385,"height":420,"alt":"Dermot O'Leary 11.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
Rachel Hylton sure made the judging panel sit up and take notice.
After unofficially \"dumping\" her mentor Dannii Minogue for a week, she then went on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster to find out who she really was.
But our fave bit was when she had her mojo going - and pretended to seduce Simon by climbing on the desk mid-song. A classic...<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Rachel-Hylton-1108.jpg","width":385,"height":420,"alt":"Rachel Hylton 11.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
You can't think of this year's X Factor without remembering the early and ruthless demise of the girl bands.
Bad Lashes were gutted to be the first act to go from the comp...<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Bad-Lashes-1008.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Bad Lashes 10.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
But one week on, and Girl band were booted too.
They broke up shortly after being eliminated.
Tragic.<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Girlband-1008.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Girlband 10.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
On to the judges now, and newbie Cheryl Cole secured a place in the nation's heart this year.
She had the whole world mesmerised with her caring, sharing attitude - and frequent displays of high emotion.
And to think she was worried about the kinda reception she would receive...<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Alexandra-Burke-and-Cheryl-Cole-1008.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Alexandra Burke and Cheryl Cole 10.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
Simon Cowell was his usual sarcastic/direct/self-satisfied self - with the contestants hanging on to his every word.
His fave key phrases: \"I'm going to make a prediction...\", \"I'm worried for you after tonight's performance\" and \"I've got to say, that was absolutely brilliant\", were in high evidence - alongside his amazingly shiny teeth.<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Simon-Cowell-1108.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Simon Cowell 11.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
OK, it's perhaps not a \"best\" bit - but who could forget Louis Walsh making Dannii Minogue cry on live TV, after he claimed that she stole his Take That song choice for JLS, to give to her own act Rachel Hylton?
The accusation went down like a bomb with Dan - and Lou was forced to apologise, as he tried to kiss and make up.<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Louis-Walsh-and-Dannii-Minogue-1108.jpg","width":385,"height":420,"alt":"Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue 11.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
But tears aside, there was some serious elation going down from the judging panel too.
We don't think we've ever seen so much sideline cheering and standing ovations... whoop, whoop.<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Dannii-Minogue-and-Cheryl-Cole-1080.jpg","width":385,"height":420,"alt":"Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole 10.80"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
Oh, and let's not forget the panel's sizzling wardrobe.
Barely a week went by without every female the nation wide checking out what Cheryl had chosen to wear - and weighing up whether or not it was better than Dan's choice of clobber...<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Louis-Walsh-Dannii-Minogue-Cheryl-Cole-and-Simon-Cowell-1008.jpg","width":385,"height":420,"alt":"Louis Walsh, Dannii Minogue, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell 10.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
This year also brought with it The X Factor's biggest ever guest star.
Yup, Britney Spears performed live on the show - in her first UK appearance in four years.
True, her voice didn't seem quite as powerful next to some of the finalists, but it was a good excuse to feast eyes on her newly-slim fig.<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Britney-Spears-1108.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Britney Spears 11.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
The lovely Leona Lewis showed the rest of the finalists what can you expect if you win the show.
There was no doubt about it, her performance on the programme was astounding - the best ever, some commentators said.<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Leona-Lewis-1108.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Leona Lewis 11.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
And then, of course, there was Mariah Carey.
Despite being a global superstar, she took time out to individually coach the X Factor finalists; and then finished off with a heart-warming, if slightly cheesy, performance of her hit single Hero.
The contestants also took on the track as a special charity single - and it went straight to number one.<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Mariah-Carey-1108.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Mariah Carey 11.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
Girls Aloud were also special star guests.
It can't have been easy for Cheryl performing in front of the other judges, but the lady did good - and all five looked amazing as they sang their new single, Promises.<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Girls-Aloud-1008.jpg","width":385,"height":420,"alt":"Girls Aloud 10.08"},{"captionHeading":"X Factor Highlights","caption":"
Will Young was a bit of all right too, wasn't he?
He finally called time on his long-standing rift with Simon by appearing on the show - and had a right laugh of it coaching the contestants.
So there you have it; the best bits from this year's X Factor.
And, boy, we're gonna miss it. Sob.<\/p>","url":"2008/12/12/Will-Young-1108.jpg","width":385,"height":540,"alt":"Will Young 11.08"}];