X Factor contestant looks totally different 18 years on from reaching ITV show's final

A former X Factor finalist, now 32, has undergone a striking transformation, leaving behind his youthful spiky-haired image for a tattooed, bearded look.

Eoghan Quigg, who gained fame as a finalist on The X Factor in 2008, has undergone a significant transformation over the past 18 years.

These days, Eoghan looks vastly different from his younger self. Gone is the spiky-haired, cute singer fans once knew, replaced by a tattooed, bearded version of the former star.

Now fully immersed in family life, Eoghan and Amy welcomed their son Camden in April 2023 and daughter Emmy Belle in April 2021. He also helps raise Amy's two children, Cooper and Milla, from a previous relationship. After being mentored by Simon Cowell, Eoghan placed third in The X Factor, finishing behind JLS and winner Alexandra Burke.

At 32, he now works as a musician and digital creator, sharing moments from his life on social media. Recently, he posted a video enjoying a large pizza, humorously commenting on the challenges of starting a January health kick. Reflecting on his career, Eoghan expressed gratitude for choosing a quieter life centered around family and community, contrasting his path with that of fellow contestant Liam Payne, who achieved global fame with One Direction.

Eoghan recently said that Liam helped him get through the X Factor - and says there's no way he would let his child ever take part in the show. He was just 16 when he made it into the semi-finals of Simon Cowell's singing competition in 2008, and is now a radio presenter in Ireland. Liam was 14 when the One Direction star first tried to wow the judges, before returning a few years later as he took the world by storm.

The Northern Irish singer has paid tribute to the tragic star following his death last week and says he is thankful he never made it big in the industry like Liam did. Speaking on Talk TV, the dad-of-two says he and his mum Karen were determined to make sure he was coping with the demands on the reality programme.

He said: "I first met Liam when he was 14 and I was 15. We were quite young, two similar lads, who liked football, liked music, still at school. Through Bootcamp, we got to know each other and then when we went to the judge's houses we really, really bonded then. I was only 15, it was my third time out of Ireland. She took me under her wing and made sure I was OK. It's a very dark day for the music industry."

He went on to add: "If my child asked me now 'Daddy can I go on a reality TV show' I don't think I'd be really comfortable with that. Just with the social media aspect. I was lucky enough when I was on in 2008 social media wasn't really that big. It was just starting out and I kind of have to count my blessings for that. Because it's a very dark place."

After his X Factor success, cute Eoghan was due to be signed by Simon, but was instead signed to record label RCA. Since then he released an album in 2009, and competed in the Irish national selection for the chance to represent Ireland in at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014.

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