X Factor Eoghan Comes Third

Northern Ireland teenager Eoghan Quigg finished in third place in the X Factor final on Saturday night.

Singer Alexandra Burke has been voted the winner of The X Factor, beating four-piece group JLS into second place. The 20-year-old from Islington, London, who made an unsuccessful bid to be in the contest three years ago, was widely praised for her final performances.

She sang with her idol and US star Beyonce, and performed her version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, which has now been released as a sure bet to become the Christmas number one.

She was presented with a copy of her debut single, and dedicated it "to everyone who voted for me".

Boy band, JLS and Eoghan Quigg had also recorded Hallelujah, but with only one winner in the end, they are left in the shadow of Alexandra.

Burke is to perform with Sir Elton John at the O2 Arena in London on New Year's Eve.

JLS, who were under the guidance of Louis Walsh, looked disappointed, but vowed to pursue their dream.

The act performed with Irish group Westlife, one of the most successful chart acts of recent years.

Meanwhile, Dungiven star, Quigg, 16, had exited the ITV1 show earlier in the evening after polling the fewest votes of the three acts, leaving JLS and Alexandra Burke still in the running.

The singer from Dungiven was mentored by Simon Cowell and performed with Irish group Boyzone during the live show.

Cowell said Quigg could leave the programme "with his head held high".

X Factor presenter Dermot O'Leary said in the programme that eight million votes had been cast during the final.

(BMcC)