With the X Factor beginning again soon we take a look at some of the biggest success stories the show has offered up.

Starting with the man himself Simon Cowell. Although Pop Idol and American Idol may be the initial reason behind Simon’s superstar status, he is now, of course, best known for being the ‘mean one’ on X Factor.

Simon is most well known for his stern and sometimes cruel comments to contestants. Also known for his high trousers and ‘confidence’, Mr Nasty has made an empire in music, not only benefitting from his own personal success but also everyone who has appeared on the show!

So what made him so popular? In America it was his refreshingly straight talking and it was the same here. No matter how cruel he was, it was very unusual for us to disagree with his opinion! He may have been nasty but he was right! If only we had thought up the idea for the show!

Arguably X Factor’s biggest contestant success story is Leona Lewis. The singer is widely known as the most talented to have ever appeared on the show and has had massive success both sides of the pond.

It seems real success comes when people begin to disassociate contestants with the show and many have forgotten she was ever on it. Although not the most confident or best of performers, her voice has been compared to that of Whitney and Mariah and we see a long career still to come.

So why has she managed what so many others have failed to do? It helped having a decent first single and working with US producers, combine that with her voice and you have a winning mixture.

Next it’s another judge. Starting out as merely one fifth of British Girl band girl’s Aloud, when Cheryl Cole was drafted in to replace Sharon Osbourne many were left wondering why.

However it didn’t take long for audiences to warm up to the Geordie and she became one of the most stylish and most loved women in the UK. Maybe it was her transformation into style icon or maybe it was because she cried when they cried – but we all loved her!

Despite not being picked for the US X Factor, or rather being picked and then dropped, she is still a massive success story for the X Factor. We just wonder if it will do the same for Kelly and Tulisa.

Next we have Alexandra Burke. Probably the second biggest success story next to Leona Lewis, she has many of the same attributes. Although maybe not having quite as good a voice, she makes up for it in confidence and dance ability.

Not yet having made it in the US, Alexandra is still riding high and doing well in the UK and with some well produced songs she has not disappointed yet. What made her so popular? If you ask us it was her performances of songs like Toxic on the show that won us over and of course that amazing duet with Beyonce!

Finally we have JLS. Also in Alexandra’s batch – a good year for the X Factor – probably the most successful of the show’s runners up and the biggest group. The band have made it big and are still topping the UK charts years later.

Lusted after by the girls, the band are arguably the biggest boyband in the UK -well, next to Take That! And with Gary Barlow, this year’s judge, another way X Factor associates with success.

So what was it that worked for this group? Again catchy songs, good looks and a hit with teenage girls, what more could you ask for?