Sam Bailey

Sam Bailey

Sam Bailey is a British singer from Leicester and a former prison officer. She wins the tenth series of The X Factor in 2013.

Career on The X Factor

Bailey becomes known after auditioning for The X Factor, where her performance is compared with Susan Boyle’s audition on Britain’s Got Talent and earns her the nickname “screwbo”, combining “screw”, a term for prison warders, and “SuBo”. She sings “Listen” in her room audition and “Who’s Loving You” in the arena. At bootcamp, she performs “Clown”, and at judges’ houses she sings “I Have Nothing” and “Without You”.

After Lorna Simpson is eliminated in the first week and Shelley Smith in the second, Bailey becomes the last over-25 contestant remaining. She reaches the final on 8 December, becoming the first female over-25s contestant to do so alongside Nicholas McDonald and Luke Friend. She duets with judge Nicole Scherzinger before being announced as the winner with “Skyscraper”, originally by Demi Lovato. She is the first “Over” category winner since Steve Brookstein in 2004.