Christopher Maloney

Christopher Michael Maloney is an English singer and musician from Liverpool, who was first seen as a contestant on The X Factor in 2012, which he been the last contestant eliminated.

Career

2012–13: The X Factor In 2012, Maloney auditioned in Liverpool for the ninth series of The X Factor. He struggled with nerves, but managed to overcome them and sing Bette Midler's "The Rose". Afterwards, he received a standing ovation from the audience and judges Louis Walsh, Gary Barlow, Tulisa Contostavlos and guest judge Geri Halliwell. Barlow asked him "How the hell have you kept that voice hidden until now?", and Maloney admitted that he had previously filled out the application form for the show, but tore it up every year due to his nerves and other people telling him he was not good enough. All four judges gave him a "Yes" and he advanced to boot camp. He made it to the judges' houses stage alongside Nicola Marie, Melanie Masson, Carolynne Poole, Brad Shackleton and Kye Sones. Maloney failed to make it into Barlow's top three contestants as Masson, Poole and Sones were selected ahead of him, but was later thrown a lifeline when it was revealed that all four judges could choose a wildcard, and the wildcard with the most public votes would become the thirteenth contestant. On the night of the first live show, Maloney was announced as the wildcard contestant, beating Times Red, Amy Mottram and Adam Burridge to win the final spot in the live shows.

Maloney took on the role of The X Factor novelty act for the ninth series. Despite being dubbed a "cabaret" and "cruise ship" singer by Walsh, Maloney advanced on the public vote nine times, receiving the most votes from weeks 1–7 before being eliminated from the first of the live final shows. During January & February 2013, Maloney appeared on the Live X Factor tour across the UK.

Despite initial nerves during his audition, Maloney became a fan favorite, receiving the highest public votes for several consecutive weeks. However, he faced criticism from some judges and media outlets, being labeled a "cruise ship" singer. Maloney later revealed that the negative attention led to significant stress and a breakdown after the show concluded.

2013–present: Post X Factor

In April 2013, in an interview with the Liverpool Echo, Maloney confirmed that he had signed a contract with independent record label Tristar Records. On 27 October 2013, he released his debut single "My Heart Belongs to You".

Following his time on The X Factor, Maloney experienced severe anxiety and underwent therapy to cope with the aftermath of public scrutiny . He has also spoken about suffering from body dysmorphia, leading to multiple cosmetic surgeries. On 26 January 2016, Maloney was the fifth person to be evicted after receiving the fewest votes. He had spent 22 days in the house.

In November 2018, Maloney's debut autobiography, titled Wildcard, was released which chronicles his journey from a nervous auditionee to a national figure, detailing personal struggles and triumphs.

Maloney publicly came out as gay in 2013, stating that he had not previously discussed his sexuality to protect his partner's privacy during the intense media scrutiny of The X Factor.

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes 2012 X Factor Contestant Series 9 2016 Celebrity Big Brother Contestant Series 17 2019 When Plastic Surgery Goes Wrong Himself Channel 5 Documentary

Live Tours

Year Title Role Notes 2013 The X Factor Live Tour Vocalist Touring Production Manchester Arena - 27 Jan The Brighton Centre - 30 Jan Motorpoint Arena Cardiff - 1 Feb Capital FM Nottingham Arena - 4 Feb Liverpool Echo Arena - 6 Feb London O2 - 7 Feb LG Arena Birmingham - 10 Feb Motorpoint Arena Sheffield - 12 Feb SECC Glasgow - 16 Feb Metro Radio Arena Newcastle - 17 Feb AECC Aberdeen - 19 Feb Wembley Arena London - 22 Feb Wembley Arena London - 23 Feb Odyssey Arena Belfast - 27 Feb 2019 Dance to the Music Vocalist Touring Production 42 UK dates 2019 Cinderella Prince Charming Touring Production

12-15 December (Marine Hall, Fleetwood) 21-30 December (Playhouse, Bradford