Shayne Ward

Shayne Ward (full name Shayne Thomas Ward) is a British singer and actor, born on 16 October 1984 in Manchester, England.

He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom after winning the 2005 series of the talent show The X Factor. He was the bookmakers’ favourite and was mentored by manager Louis Walsh. He won the final against the duo Journey South and singer Andy Abraham by a margin of 1.2% of the vote.

His debut single, That's My Goal, released in December 2005, reached number one at Christmas that year. With 313,000 copies sold on its first day, it became the third fastest-selling single in history at the time.

His self-titled album, released in April 2006, entered at number one in the UK with over 200,000 copies sold in its first week. The album spawned the singles No Promises and Stand By Me, and achieved platinum certification in several countries.

His second album, Breathless, was released in November 2007. It debuted at number two on the UK albums chart, behind Spirit by Leona Lewis, the next The X Factor winner. In Ireland, the album went straight to number one, displacing Lewis’s album, and stayed there for three weeks, later earning five-times platinum certification.

The lead single from the second album, If That's OK with You, was released as a double A-side with No U Hang Up in September 2007 and reached number two in the UK. In Ireland, No U Hang Up peaked at number eleven, while If That's OK with You entered straight at number one. The album’s second single, Breathless, was released in November 2007.

Before appearing on The X Factor, Shayne Ward was part of a group called Destiny with Tracy Murphy and Tracey Lyle, performing in pubs, clubs and at weddings. He also made the final thirty contestants on the show Popstars: The Rivals.