Jake Quickenden

Jacob Quickenden (born 3 September 1988) is an English singer, ex-footballer and reality television personality. He was a contestant on the ninth series of The X Factor, being eliminated at the Judges' houses, and the eleventh series in 2014, being the fifth contestant eliminated. Later in 2014, he was the runner-up in series 14 of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.

TV and reality star Jake Quickenden was fined £1,089 and given six penalty points by Colchester Magistrates' Court in July 2026 after admitting to using his mobile phone to input an address into his maps app while driving.

Football career

Quickenden played football, mainly as a winger or forward. He began his football career as a youth player for Scunthorpe United but suffered a broken leg, ending his chances with his hometown club. Following recovery he was offered trials in Australia with Bentleigh Greens and Sunshine George Cross, eventually playing professionally in Australia for two years. He then returned to England and went on to play for Frickley Athletic in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League, Premier Division. Most recently he played for Lincolnshire club Bottesford Town in the Northern Counties East Football League. In 2015, he was rumoured to have been offered the opportunity to play for Gainsborough Trinity, but denied it. He joined Ossett Town in 2017.

Media career Quickenden began his media career by appearing on the talent show The X Factor. After his 2012 departure, he has made a number of other media appearances since, including working as a presenter on the Chart Show TV channel.

His current work includes advertising products on social media as an influencer. Between May and July 2022 the Advertising Standards Agency reprimanded Quickenden for failing to disclose commercial relationships with advertisers on his channels, including his Instagram account.

The X Factor

In 2012, Quickenden auditioned for the ninth series of The X Factor, where he sang "Use Somebody" and received four yesses from the judges. At bootcamp, along with fellow contestants Adam Burridge and Robbie Hance, he sang "How to Save a Life". The judges decided to put him through to judges' houses where he was in the Boys category along with Burridge, Nathan Fagan-Gayle, Rylan Clark, Jahméne Douglas, and the series' eventual winner James Arthur and their mentor was Nicole Scherzinger. Quickenden sang "Back for Good" in front of Scherzinger and her guest, Ne-Yo. The next day, Scherzinger decided not to put Quickenden through to the live shows, choosing Clark, Douglas, and Arthur instead.

The X Factor performances and results (2012) Episode Theme Song Result First audition Free choice "Use Somebody" Through to bootcamp Bootcamp – Stage 1 Free choice "How to Save a Life"with Adam Burridge and Robbie Hance Through to stage 2 Bootcamp – Stage 2 Free choice Unknown Through to judges' houses Judges' houses Free choice "Back for Good" Eliminated

In 2014, Quickenden once again auditioned for the eleventh series of The X Factor, where he sang "All of Me", but was stopped and asked to perform his second song, "Say Something". Quickenden received positive comments from the judges for his second song and gave him four yeses to proceed to the next round. In the arena audition, he performed "Who You Are" by Jessie J. Quickenden received good comments from the judges. Head judge Simon Cowell commented that he was not a big fan of previous contestants returning since there was usually a reason for them being sent home, but said that he was not judging in the 2012 series and that Quickenden should not have been eliminated. The judges decided to put Quickenden through to bootcamp. He was again in the "Boys" category with Mel B as his mentor. In the six-chair challenge of bootcamp, Quickenden sang "A Thousand Years" and his mentor gave him a chair and proceeded to the next round. At judges' houses, he sang "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and was put through to the live shows along with Andrea Faustini and Paul Akister.

On 27 October, Quickenden landed in the bottom two in week 3 against Only the Young and was eliminated, with only his mentor Mel B voting to save him. The X Factor performances and results (2014) Episode Theme Song Result Room Audition Free choice "All of Me" / "Say Something" Through to bootcamp Arena Audition Free choice "Who You Are" Through to stage 2 Bootcamp – Six Chair Challenge Free choice "A Thousand Years" Through to judges' houses Judges Houses Free choice "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" Through to live shows Live Show 1 Number ones "She's the One" Safe (8th) Live Show 2 1980s music "Total Eclipse of the Heart" Safe (11th) Live Show 3 Songs from films "She's Like the Wind" Bottom two (12th) Final showdown "Red" Eliminated

I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!

Beginning on 20 November 2014, Quickenden took part in 14th series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, entering the jungle on Day 5 of the competition with former politician Edwina Currie. Jake finished the show as runner-up to World Superbike racer Carl 'Foggy' Fogarty.

Dancing on Ice

Quickenden was a contestant in the 10th series of Dancing on Ice, where he was partnered with professional German figure skater Vanessa Bauer. On 11 March 2018, he and Bauer won the competition over Brooke Vincent and Max Evans.

Filmography

Theatre

Discography

Extended plays + List of EPs Title Details I Want YouReleased: 9 August 2015 Label: Independent Format: Digital download New ChapterReleased: 1 April 2016 Label: Independent Format: Digital download

Singles