What Shayne Ward has done since his X Factor win from Corrie to Strictly
He's officially joined the Strictly Come Dancing 2024 line-up.
We're now nudging two decades since Shayne Ward's victory on The X Factor, but these days fans are more likely to see him in Channel 5's crime drama The Good Ship Murder or the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing than a pop concert.
At the mercy of judges Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh (and the public vote) in 2005, Ward was just 21 years old when he fended off competition from fellow finalists Andy Abraham and Journey South to snatch that life-changing record deal with Sony Music label Syco. In the immediate aftermath, Walsh took charge as his manager in a joint venture between Global Publishing and Walsh Global Management.
Ward's debut single That's My Goal was released in the days leading up to Christmas and became the UK's fourth-fastest-selling single of all-time with 313,000 units in its first day. Only Elton John, Will Young and Gareth Gates could hold a candle to these numbers back then.
Five months later followed Ward's self-titled album, reaching number one on both the UK and Irish album charts. The tracks No Promises (which was a Bryan Rice cover) and Stand by Me came out as singles, and as of November 2022 the record is available to buy on vinyl.
Emergency surgery, book and second album success
Catastrophe struck that same year though, as Shayne Ward developed a nodule on his left vocal cord. Nodules are benign growths that are caused by excessive vocal straining, resulting in a hoarse voice. Ward was reportedly flown out to Los Angeles in the September to consult with a specialist.
Discussing his experience with Fame Magazine in 2007, he said: "It caused me a hell of a lot of problems. I had to have surgery in August last year and it was a scary time, but I'm just happy that I overcame it and that the surgery was a success".
Read more: Strictly
Not long after his treatment, Ward released an autobiography titled My Story and travelled across Britain for book signings. Its synopsis teased: "Growing up in Manchester, life wasn't easy. Being the youngest son of a very large family — three brothers and three sisters — life in the Ward household was tough. But the challenges the family faced made him even more determined to succeed, especially for his mother who sacrificed everything to support her beloved kids".
In November 2007, Ward returned to his primary passion with another bestselling record, Breathless. This one consisted of 13 songs, including the Top 10 hits If That's OK with You, No U Hang Up and Breathless.
Take That twist
In a parallel universe, Ward would've replaced Jason Orange in the iconic band Take That.
Its leader Gary Barlow claimed in his autobiography My Take that Orange was threatening to walk away from music altogether back in 2006, with the group's manager Nigel Martin-Smith keen to sign up the X Factor champion.
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"That was a massive compliment. I’m a huge Take That fan," Ward told OK! Magazine four years later. "If I'd gone into the band, I'd have loved it, but at the same time I'm my own artist and I've only known Take That as the five original members. The fans would've been like: 'We want Jason, we want Robbie [Williams]!'"
Third and fourth album, Dancing on Ice and musicals
Work began on Ward's third album Obsession in 2009 with producers RedOne and Taio Cruz, and would eventually hit shelves in November 2010. This featured a cover of rock titans Nickelback's Gotta Be Somebody from their Dark Horse record.
Cut to June 2011 and the star was branching out into the colourful world of musicals. His first role would be that of Stacee Jaxx in Shaftesbury Theatre's production of Rock of Ages, which was turned into a Tom Cruise vehicle a year later.
A five-week stint on ITV's long-running competition Dancing on Ice was squeezed in at the beginning of 2013, where he partnered up with pro skater Maria Filippov.
Next came his performance as The Artilleryman in Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds in 2014, before Ward released his fourth and final record Closer as an independent artist after being dropped by Syco. Apparently, the whole thing was produced using exclusively solar power at Mike Stock's studio in West Sussex.
Transition into acting with Coronation Street
Debuting as Weatherfield newcomer Aidan Connor in August 2015, Ward began his transition away from the music business. He was introduced as Michelle Connor's distant cousin under an initial one-year contract, but thanks to Aidan's popularity amongst viewers, the burgeoning soap star stayed on for a further two.
In that time he took home a National Television Award, TV Choice Award and Inside Soap Award, but decided to leave the role in early 2018 and bowed out in a heartbreaking suicide storyline.
Five years passed before Ward would get another juicy role on the tele. Opposite fellow Coronation Street and Strictly alumnus Catherine Tyldesley, he currently plays the main character Jack Grayling in Channel 5's The Good Ship Murder — a detective turned cruise liner singer who solves mysteries on a luxury Mediterranean boat.
Premiering in 2023, it'll return for another two series and a Christmas special.
Strictly 2024
Most recently, the former pop sensation was announced as one of this year's Strictly celebrities.
"I'm buzzing to see all of the sparkles and magic that is Strictly in real life. I'm no stranger to live TV, but dancing Latin and Ballroom in front of millions is a whole new level. No promises on my dancing ability, but I will give it my best shot!" he said in a statement.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One next month.
