Steve Brookstein has admitted that life hasn’t exactly worked out as he hoped after he won the X Factor, but added that he feels more optimistic now than before.

The former X Factor winner also admitted that his stubbornness over his music, led to the failure of his relationship with Simon Cowell.

“I didn’t want to undergo the changes that were forced upon me when I won The X Factor but that fear of change only lead to even more change. As a person who doesn’t enjoy change this was a nightmare,” he wrote on his blog.

“It’s was like being on the boat at the end of The Truman Show or entering the Matrix. Morpheus offers Neo two pills. The red pill will answer the question ‘what is the Matrix?’ and the blue pill, simply for life to carry on as before.

“Winning The X Factor has opened a door to a new world and I had swallowed the red pill. I look at things in a totally new way now, but for the first time in a while I’m a little optimistic. I have taken on Simon Cowell and lost. Actually, I got thumped.”

He added: “I stood my ground over a matter of great importance to me – my music. The thing I wanted to be remembered for. I love making music and I’ve always wanted to make good music. Not sell a million, not have a number one – just make good music.

“I take little pleasure in saying ‘I’ve had a number one single and album’. Of course I use it to help me move forward rebuilding my career and it is kind of cool, but it’s the hope I have in my future music that really feeds my soul. Simon will probably be remembered for being an extremely successful businessman, maybe that’s the best way to be in this music business, but that’s not me.”

Simon Cowell has reportedly snubbed former X Factor winner Steve Brookstein, by failing to invite him to his 50th birthday party.

The music mogul has invited all of his other recording artists past and present to to attend the party in October.

A source told The Mirror: “Simon’s been planning this party for months and the guest list is phenomenal – a Who’s Who of the celebrity world.

“All his recording artists – bar Steve Brookstein – have been invited. And all the judges on his shows from both sides of the Atlantic.”

Simon was probably worried that Steve would turn up with a box full of eggs, ready for war!

Today is our lucky day! Normally we only hear from X Factor’s first winner Steve Brookstein once a year (around the time of the X Factor launch coincidentally) but he has saw fit to crawl out from under his rock this week to defend poor old Leon Jackson.

Leon was unceremoniously dumped by his record label this week and they didn’t even do him the favour of phoning to tell him. No, sad old Leon had to read the news in The Sun. Of course Steve Brookstein went through a similar ordeal back in 2005 so he decided to write in support of Leon on his own personal blog.

Brookstein blustered: “If they cared anything about Leon they would have announced his departure after his tour and not before it, they would have kept his fans informed, his website up-to-date, and not put comments from Simon into the press saying: ‘[He's a] nice guy but not gonna set the world on fire, Rhydian should have won’.”

He added: “It reminds me of his ‘G4 were the real winners!’ I’m surprised he allows the public to vote when they’ve only got it right once in four years. When they spent their money deciding Leona Lewis had more ‘X’ than the ice skater Ray Quinn. Phew, tough choice.”

Now it’s not that I disagree with Steve per se, but everything he says these days just comes across as sour grapes and he always did have a mammoth chip on his shoulder. I therefore find it hard to take him seriously and if he really cared about his music and not about securing column inches, he would get on with singing instead of bitching. It really is getting tiresome now!

Former X Factor winner, Steve Brookstein has urged people not to waste their money by voting on the the ITV TV show.

Steve told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It is sad that there are going to be people who are going to be publicly humiliated. It is a form of bear-baiting.

“I’ve been banging the drum about what it’s about – people shouldn’t call in and they shouldn’t waste their money.”

Steve was dropped by Sony BMG after his first album, and this sounds like a bit of sour grapes to me!

Former X Factor winner and subsequent X factor flop, Steve Brookstein, is reported to be releasing a single this Christmas.

Brookstein will go up against this years X Factor winner if he does go ahead with this zany idea.

Steve is currently starring in the West End production of Madness musical, Our House and is tipped to be releasing ‘It Must Be Love’ this December.

Former X Factor winner Steve Brookstein has landed a role in the UK tour of hit musical, ‘Our House.’

Featuring the most famous songs of 80’s pop sensations Madness such as “My Girl”, “Baggy Trousers”, “House of Fun” and “It Must Be Love”, Our House tells the story of sixteen year-old Joe, in love for the first time, and the fateful day when something happens to tear his world in two.

Steve Brookstein will star as ‘Dad’ in the show. I bet Sharon Osbourne won’t be rushing out to get tickets!

As Leon Jackson scooped the winners title on Saturday nights X Factor TV show, former winner, Steve Brookstein was singing in a pizza restaurant filled with only fifty people.

Steve made references to the show which brought about his short lived fame during his performance saying:

“I’m surprised so many of you are here to see me on the night of the X Factor finals.”

He later joked: “I don’t know how many of you have got my new album. It’s not widely available – in fact, I couldn’t find it anywhere. I think Sharon Osbourne’s been going around Tesco taking it off the shelves.”

Leon should take note, this million pound record deal is not all it’s cracked up to be!

X Factor winner Steve Brookstein split from Simon’s label Sony BMG last year to record an album of his own songs.

The singer says he still watches the ‘cheesy’ X Factor show, but hasn’t spoken to judge Simon Cowell since he released his debut album.

His first single Fighting Butterflies is out on September 25.

“I think the last time I spoke to Simon was about four weeks after my album was No 1,” he said, adding that they didn’t really talk once Steve had asked to record his own material.

“But he was fine, through his legal team they just let me go without too much of a fuss and I think that he wanted to get it over and done with as quickly as possible so that he could move onto the next X Factor.

“He had his agenda and I had my agenda, so it ultimately turned out nice again.”

Former X Factor winner Steve Brookstein has revealed that he would love to return for a guest appearance on this years X Factor.

His main reason for doing so would be annoy celebrity judge Sharon Osbourne who branded him as ‘fake’ during the X Factor 2004.

“If I was to go back on X Factor her nose would be put out of joint, put it that way,” Steve told Celebs on Sunday. “But I’m sure she’d soon have it fixed.”

Speaking about his new single and album, he added: “I don’t mean to sound arrogant, but it’s really good stuff. It’s a totally different ball game now.”

From one X Factor winner to another, < strong>Shayne Ward has this week spoken out against last years winner Steve Brookstein for slating the show that brought him into the public eye.

When interviewed for the Observer Music Monthly magazine he insisted that Steve should stop blaming Simon Cowell and X Factor producers for his flop of a career, but rather resign with grace and be glad that he was given a chance.

“I do feel a bit of pressure because of what happened last year with Steve. Which is a shame. I do feel sorry for the guy, but it didn’t work out for him,” Shayne tells the Observer.

“I’m not sure why. You’d have to ask him. Obviously there is a lot of feeling out there, like, ‘Is Shayne Ward going to be another talent show flop?’

“If I am then I am. If it happens it happens. But if I do fail to stick around then I know I will not slate the show,”