Former X Factor winner Matt Cardle has signed a new record contract – five years after being dropped by Simon Cowell’s label.
The 34-year-old described signing the Sony deal as “one of the proudest moments” of his life, after overcoming an addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol following his X Factor win in 2010.
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He told The Sun: “After the highs of X Factor I sank to the darkest places I’ve ever been.
“But after overcoming addiction I finally found myself in a place where I was ready and able to create the album I have always wanted to.
“I then spent three years pouring blood, sweat and tears plus all my darkness and my hope into this album.”
Fans were thrilled to hear Matt’s good news, taking to social media in droves to wish him all the best with the album.
One wrote: “So pleased for you Matt, you totally deserve this after all your hard work.”
Another said: “WOW! Excellent news. Matt absolutely deserve it… he’s so special and unique…”
A third told him: “Huge congratulations to you Matt. Thoroughly deserved.”
And a fourth commented: “Congratulations Matt, you’re a great singer with a great vocal range. Be creative and show them what you got – you’re sensational.”
Matt won the seventh series of X Factor seven years ago, famously beating fellow acts including One Direction, Rebecca Ferguson and Cher Lloyd.
He signed a joint deal with Simon Cowell’s Syco record label and Columbia following the win, but just two years later, he asked to leave, claiming all the attention was on One Direction.
“I would just have been left to get on with it while One Direction ruled the planet. Which is brilliant for them – I’m so proud of them – but I needed to be a bit selfish. I asked Sony to let me go and they said okay.”
In 2014, it emerged that former painter and decorator Matt had been battling a secret addiction to drink and prescription drug, which led him to voluntarily enter rehab.
It started when he began taking Valium to help with his fear of flying and escalated from there.
He told The Sun at the time: “The doctor said to me if I’d been left to my own devices for another three or four weeks I might not be here now.”
After leaving rehab, he returned to the limelight, winning praise for his role as Huey Calhoun in Memphis: The Musical.
He also began work on his fourth album, telling DigitalSpy last year: “What’s different with this album is that I felt like I was on a manufacturing line after X Factor.
“I released three albums in three years and to be honest, that isn’t sustainable as a writer, a performer or as a human being.
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“What has been brilliant for me this time around is the more relaxed nature of the writing and recording process. I’ve had gaps where I’ve been able to live life, recharge and become inspired again.”
Best of luck, Matt!