From a young age, Shayne has shown an intense passion for music. He went from performing in a singing trio called ‘Destiny’ making appearances in pubs, clubs and weddings around Manchester, to delivering sensational performances that enraptured the show's expert judges and the huge live audiences. Every time he sang, he gained more love from the nation securing him the winning place in the final, he is now one of the most successful X Factor winners. Ward was mentored by Louis Walsh, in the 16-24 year-olds category, who then later became his talent manager under a joint venture with Global Publishing and Walsh Global Management. He managed to steer clear from the bottom two for the entirety of the series and won by a margin of 1.2% of a reported 10.8 million voters.
Shortly after Shayne's talent show victory, his winner’s single “That's My Goal” charted at number one, he was the first X Factor winner to release an original song as his debut single. After only two days, the song sold 313,000 copies making it the fastest-selling song in 2005 and eventually the Christmas number one. For a total of four weeks, it stayed at the top of the UK Singles Chart and remained within the top 40 for another five months. The song was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry and stands as the third fastest-selling record of all time in the UK behind Will Young and Elton John. “That’s My Goal” is the most successful X Factor winner’s single ever.
Continuing his successful music career, Shayne's debut album achieved platinum in the UK and four times platinum in Ireland. He also embarked on a solo tour: Shayne Ward Live 2007, appearing in 18 venues across England and the Republic of Ireland. He then released a further two highly successful albums. Gary Barlow revealed in his biography that Shayne was considered as a replacement for Jason Orange when he threatened to leave Take That in 2006.
Shayne has also found significant success as an actor. Most famously, ITV announced, that they had signed Shayne on a year contract to appear on Coronation Street as Aidan Connor. Making his first appearance on the show, Shayne blew audiences away delivering a natural performance as Michelle Connor’s distant cousin. For this, he received an NTA and an Inside Soap Award for Best Newcomer in 2016. His contract was then renewed for a further two years due to his popularity, he then left the show in a storyline that highlighted the issue of male suicide. For this, he was awarded another Inside Soap Award for best exit in 2018. He is now cast to star as a lead in an upcoming thriller film, and is competing on Strictly Come Dancing 2024 alongside the likes of Toyah Willcox. Whether he showcases his musical talent or performs a gripping scene, he is known as a show-stopper. Shayne’s variety of talents means he is the perfect choice as a solo artist or presenter for your event, music festival or television programme.
