Ben Mills has commented that he is glad to have lost the X Factor, he believes it will be a blessing in disguise.

Ben told BANG Showbiz: “The losers always do better on these shows, I think. I feel like I’ve got the advantage. If I’d won I would never have been allowed to put five of my own tracks on my album, or release it so soon.

“As a singer songwriter to have won the ‘X factor’ would have been quite weird. I’ve got the same management as Lemar, who lost ‘Fame Academy’, and he’s done very well as a loser.”

Ben realised he had no chance of winning when he heard the winners single, A Moment Like This, originally sang by Kelly Clarkson.

He said: “I walked off the show then. Luckily Simon let me come back and record the way I wanted to.

“At that point I realised for sure I wouldn’t win. Sharon had pretty much told me not to expect that before. But I felt I lost the fight then.

“When I heard ‘A Moment Like This’ I knew it had been chosen for Leona. I couldn’t hear myself singing it.

“It reminded me of Ricky Gervais releasing that single as David Brent from ‘The Office’.

“I couldn’t see myself on the video singing it, probably wearing a white linen shirt. It would have been awful.”