Ayda Williams picks former X Factor star to help her at Judges' Houses
They are great friends!
Last updated 20th Sep 2018
With this year's X Factor auditions coming to an end, the singing competition is heating up, with this year's judges, Simon Cowell, Robbie Williams, Ayda Williams and Louis Tomlinson all preparing for the infamous Judges' Houses stage of the completion.
As the final round of auditions is set to take place on Sunday night's episode, it is now being reported that Ayda has chosen her Loose Women co-star and former X Factor finalist Stacey Solomon to help her out at her house in LA.
According to reports from The Daily Star, Stacey was forced to cancel engagements and jet off to LA to help Ayda out, with a source saying, "She had already had her dress fittings, but she got a call from The X Factor and left."
Of course, Stacey is no stranger to The X Factor, as the show is where she first found fame after appearing as a contestant in 2009. Despite being a massive hit with viewers, Stacey finished in third place behind Olly Murs and eventual winner Joe McElderry.
Check out what all of The X Factor winners are up to now:
Steve Brookstein, series one, 2004
Things went downhill super quickly after the high of winning the first ever series of The X Factor, and Steve's still bitter… even now, 12 years later. He's written a book about it called Getting Over The X. Come on now Steve, perhaps you should give it a read.
These days he's more into childish rants on Twitter about, well, pretty much everything except making music. He did release an album in 2014, and just to show he's moved on he called it Forgotten Man. It didn't chart.
Shayne Ward, series two, 2005
It's easy to forget Corrie's Aidan Connor is actually; Shayne Ward from The X Factor in a disguise. Alright, that should be: in a new job. It's still weird. He's smashing his new role and won Best Newcomer at the National Television Awards in January. Fast work.
He's also been moving fast in his love life nad is dating former Hollyoaks star Sophie Austin,after the couple's romance blossomed in 2016 following some Twitter flirting. Cute.
Leona Lewis, series three, 2006
You probably won't remember Leona Lewis as she hasn't done much since. Jokes. Leona's a superstar. A superstar that loves animals. A lot.
She loves dogs. She released a single with Diane Warren called We Are All (Looking For Home) in support of a dog charity. She loves cats. Well, she's starring in Cats on Broadway which is kind of the same thing. But she really loves horses. The star has featured in Horse and Hound in the past, too.
Leon Jackson, series four, 2007
Soulful Scotsman Leon Jackson clinched the Christmas Number One in 2007 but faded fast and was dropped by the label shortly after. Nowadays his most notable achievements are his abs. He's been hard at work. They're good abs. Well done Leon.
Alexandra Burke, series five, 2008
Alexandra Burke's winning single was a cover of Leonard Cohen's classic Hallelujah, which broke records on it's way to Number One. Hallelujah feels like a fitting introduction for the singer who's now taken the leading role of Deloris Van Cartier in Craig Revel-Horwood's new production of Sister Act in London's West End. She's still doing some shows of her own, is an ambassador for Slim Fast AND she's taking part in the 2017 series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Joe McElderry, series six, 2009
In 2009 it was Joe McElderry who won The X Factor but it wasn't him who won the Christmas Number One. It was the anti-X-Factor campaign who scored the top slot with Rage Against The Machine's Killing In The Name Of. Chin up Joe, you've done alright. You've even sung for the Queen. He's currently singing in a touring version of Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat and doing charity cycle rides. Good lad.
Matt Cardle, series seven, 2010
The handsome one with the guitar, Matt Cardle is building up to releasing his fourth studio album called Higher Power. He's still looking hot, still playing gigs, and even joined YolanDa Brown on a few of her shows this year.
Scandal! In 2016 there was a massive lawsuit filed against none other than Ed Sheeran, claiming Sheeran's huge hit Photographs was a carbon copy of Cardle's Amazing. It turns out it was the songwriters who filed it, and Cardle's distanced himself… but it looks murky.
Little Mix, series eight, 2011
Well, where to start with these ladies. Let's start with the music, cos that's what it's all about, right? The band are touring their fourth studio album on the Glory Days tour.
Ben Haenow, series 11, 2014
We can almost do this as a tickbox list now. Christmas number one: tick. Record breaking sales figures: no tick. Duet with big name real celeb: tick (it was Kelly Clarkson). Album released: tick. Didn't make top twenty: tick. Dropped by Syco: tick.
All that's left is the run in a West End show and a run at Butlins. Though he does seem delightfully loved-up with his dancer wife Jessica Jones.
James Arthur, series nine, 2012
James Arthur has had a rocky road since winning the show - like so many of the winners – but he did seem to bring it on himself. After dropping a very dodgy tune with homophobic tones, iTunes offered refunds on his debut album and Syco dropped him.
Then he released Say You Won't Let Go, Syco took him back and EVERYTHING changed. James is officially back, people.
Sam Bailey, series 10, 2013
Bexley's Sam Bailey hit the Christmas number one slot with her winning single Skyscraper and toured with Queen Bey in the UK leg of her The Mrs Carter Show World Tour. Then, in what seems like a natural next step for The X Factor winners, she took a role in a popular West End musical. In this case it was Chicago.
Louisa Johnson, series 12, 2015
2015's winner Louisa has had mixed success…her dreadful single charted the lowest of all the winners' singles of all of the time, only managing number 12 in the Christmas singles chart. Cripes.
Her follow up Tears, with Clean Bandit, did much better by reaching number five, so it's swings and roundabouts. But we're not worried because a change of hair colour caused an Instagram storm in summer 2016 AND her two proper solo singles So Good and Best Behaviour have been bloody brilliant.
Matt Terry, series 13, 2016
Matt Terry's the show's latest winner, going on to release Ed Sheeran-penned winner's single When Christmas Comes Around. He then teamed up with Enrique Iglesias and actual Sean Paul on the Spanglish remix of Subeme La Radio before releasing his proper debut single Sucker for You.
Oh, and he made an appearance on Celebrity First Dates in support of Stand Up To Cancer. Fab.
Despite ITV bosses not confirming anything, rumours coming out of The X Factor are suggesting that this year's categories have already been decided.
Head judge Simon Cowell will look after the Girls category, just like he did on the 2016 series. Despite being in one of the biggest boy bands ever, One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson has been given the Boys category, with former Take That singer Robbie Williams taking charge of the Groups. Therefore Ayda will look after The Overs.
In other news, Ayda and Robbie shocked fans earlier this month by announcing they'd welcomed their third child into the world, via a surrogate.
Ayda confirmed the couple's happy news on Instagram, confirming their new daughter arrived via a surrogate mother. Sharing a super cute picture, Ayda wrote, 'I spy with my little eye an extra little hand 👀 So we have been keeping a very special secret! We are delighted to share with you that we have had a baby girl….welcome to the world Colette (Coco) Josephine Williams!! 💕'.
She continued, 'It has been a very long and difficult path to get here, which is why we have kept it on the down low. Family comes in all forms, and this little lady, who is biologically ours, was carried by an incredible surrogate mother, to whom we will be eternally grateful. We are over the moon to have this beautiful baby girl in our lives and so blessed that we live in a world which makes this possible. As with Teddy and Charlie, we ask that you respect Coco’s privacy and allow us to grow into our new team of 5! #TeamWilliams.' sic
So cute! 👶
The latest series of The X Factor continues on ITV on Saturday and Sunday at 8pm.