Pop singer Shayne Ward rocketed to fame via the U.K. talent showcase #The X Factor. Born October 15, 1984, in Manchester, England, Ward first surfaced in the little-known group Destiny before earning attention in another television amateur contest, #Popstars: The Rivals. Eliminated from the final 30 contestants, he signed with manager Louis Walsh prior to entering competition on #The X Factor in 2005. Tabbed by bookies as the favorite to win the program, Ward eked out victory over rivals Journey South and Andy Abraham by a margin of 1.2 percent of the overall viewer vote. His debut single, "That's My Goal," followed in December 2005, selling 313,000 copies in its first day of sales and topping the U.K. pop charts over the Christmas holiday. "No Promises" followed in the spring of 2006, reaching the number two spot and setting the stage for Ward's self-titled debut LP.

~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi