The finale was between Leona and the boyband Ray Quinn. Ray was the cheeky, tap-dancing heartthrob. Leona was the shy girl with the voice of an angel.
It wasn’t even close. She got 60% of the public vote. That’s a landslide in reality TV terms.
Simon Cowell looked like he’d just won the lottery. Because, honestly, he kind of had.
Wait, Who Was the Host? And What’s a “Mansize”?
Kate Thornton was the host that year. Remember her? She was great. The judges were Simon, Sharon Osbourne, and Louis Walsh.
Here’s a weird fact: Leona’s winner’s single was “A Moment Like This.” It broke a world record for fastest digital download. It sold 50,000 copies in just 30 minutes. Thirty minutes!
Another fun nugget: Leona was born in the same London borough as Dizzee Rascal. Random, but true. She worked at a Pizza Hut before all this. She’s probably never had to touch a stuffed crust since.
