How The X Factor rich list spend their fortunes from 50k plastic surgery, 260k cars to 'plumbers

IT'S produced some of the biggest music acts in recent times - so it's no surprise many of The X Factor alumni have gone on to earn millions following their reality show success.

While judge and music mogul Simon Cowell is the biggest winner with a net worth of around £440m, some of the show's stars haven't done badly for themselves either.

As it's announced the show is being axed after 17 years, here are the X Factor contestants who've made the most money...

One Direction's £3m painting & flash cars

Combined net worth - £347m (including Zayn Malik)

Before Zayn Malik left and the rest of the group went on an indefinite hiatus, One Direction were the world's biggest boy band, reportedly making around £200k each a day.

The band were first put together in 1010 and finished third place behind Matt Cardle and Rebecca Ferguson and went on to sell more than 50 million records worldwide.

Having worked so hard, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and former member Zayn Malik have of course splashed the cash, each buying luxury mansions across the globe.

Among some of their bigger splurges, Harry reportedly spent £3m on a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting, Liam treated himself to a £260,000 Lamborghini, and Zayn's splashed upwards of £7k on his tattoos alone.

As they say, if you've got it...

Little Mix's luxury penthouses

Combined net worth - £48m (including Jesy Nelson)

Little Mix - comprising at the time of Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jesy Nelson - were put together as a band on 2011's X Factor, and became the first-ever group to win.

Now, the band members - including ex-member Jesy - have an estimated net worth of £48million between them, according to The Sunday Times rich list 2020.

To date, Little Mix have released six albums, and sold an estimated 50 million records worldwide.

The group admit they initially blew all their money on renting expensive penthouses and going on fancy holidays, with Perrie saying: "We were really bad with money at first.

“When you get famous really quickly, you get given a bit of money off the label and you think ‘I am really rich’ and then you spend it all on a holiday and before you know it – you have got nothing left.”

JLS's £50k Mercedes

Combined net worth - £24m

Four-piece boyband JLS came second in 2008 behind Alexandra Burke, and went on to sell over 10 million records before splitting in 2014.

The first JLS album, created by members Aston Merrygold, Oritsé Williams, Marvin Humes, and JB Gill, sold 1.2million copies, and they achieved five UK No 1s, meaning at their peak they were estimated to be £24m.

Speaking recently to Me and My Money, former band member turned turkey farmer JB Gill revealed the best money decision he ever made was investing in property, and he treated himself to a £43,000 Mercedes.

He said: "When I was with JLS, we were paid five-figure and six-figure sums for private gigs where we would typically do sets lasting no more than 20 minutes. Obviously we'd split these fees four ways.

"Once, we were paid a huge amount to have dinner with a wealthy gentleman and his daughters. We didn't sing at all – we just ate with the family. That was pretty cool."

Last year the band revealed they were reuniting, and have reportedly since been back in the studio together recording new music.

Leona Lewis' Hollywood mansion

Net worth - £21m

Leona Lewis won the show back in 2006, and her single Bleeding Love topped the charts in 30 countries, and helped her become the first British female to top the US charts for 20 years.

She also had No1 hits in the UK with her debut, A Moment Like This and Run, and had ten top 10 hits and two number one albums in total.

Since then, she's gone on to sign with modelling agency Wilhelmina Models, and took on an acting role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats.

The talented star became X Factor's first millionaire, and was reportedly paid £1 million by Phones4U billionaire John Caudwell to perform at his daughter's 21st birthday party back in 2009.

The singer lived in a £1.2m Hollywood mansion complete with stable and pool, before upgrading in recent years to a 6,000 square foot four-bedroom home.

Olly Murs' 'plumbers' wage'

Net worth - £13.5m

Popstar Olly Murs shot to fame on the X Factor in 2009, and while he didn't win, he went on to have eight top ten singles and four platinum albums.

The star has also gone on to find success as a presenter, and has invested in property.

Last year he added nearly £1m to his fortune - despite not releasing any new music, and he now lives in a luxurious Essex mansion complete with pool.

Despite his vast wealth, the star pays himself a weekly “plumber’s wage” of £1,000 a week, saying: “I have given myself a salary recently, because I think it's important.

"For the first two years I was like, 'Yeah, I'll buy that and this. Mum, what do you want? I'll get it for you.

“But then you watch shows like the Big Reunion and it opens your eyes to realise that this can all go so quickly, and you've got to be wise with your money. Even Ed Sheeran talks about paying himself a salary."

Chloe Khan's £50k plastic surgery

Net worth - £10m

She was not necessarily the most musically talented contestant when she burst onto our screens on X Factor in 2010, but that didn't stop glamour model Chloe Khan becoming one of the richest.

She was ridiculed following her performance using the name Chloe Mafia on the show, but has had the last laugh.

She's now a millionaire after launching a very lucrative webcam business, and went on to become a Playboy cover girl.

She reportedly makes around £700k a month through her Only Fans account and has spent thousands radically transforming her look over the years, saying: “I’ve spent about £20k on my boobs, £8.5k on veneers, my nose job was £9k and my lips were another £10k, – so it’s about £50k in total.”

Chloe, who grew up on a council estate, has also been able to splash out on her very luxurious lifestyle, saying: "My lifestyle is pretty incredible now – it's mansions and private jets and everything else that I could only imagine when I was younger."

As well as enjoying designer clothes and luxury cars, she was also able to trea her mum to a £600,000 on a four bedroomed house, and a six bedroomed property nearby.

Alexandra Burke's savings

Net worth - £8m

Alexandra Burke starred on X Factor in 2008, and won the series, selling a record-breaking 105,000 copies of her debut single Hallelujah in just one day.

The Strictly star went on to become a millionaire just three years later, purchasing the £1.6 million home she now lives in, and she also bought a £215k North London home which she rents out.

Speaking to the Financial Times in 2014, she revealed she splashed out on three rolex watches, but had also been savvy with her income, saying: "At times I am amazed at the amount of money I have been earning, but I know I can’t afford to become complacent. In October I learnt that my net worth is £8m.

"Fifty per cent of my earnings I put into savings straight away."

Jedward's YouTube covers

Joint net worth - £5.7m

Twins John and Edward Grimes starred on X Factor in 2009, and while judge Louis Walsh loved them, Simon Cowell described the pair as "not very good and incredibly annoying".

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