Former trucker Ben's X Factor victory was never in doubt

Figures released today reveal that Ben Haenow had been way out in front in the public vote for weeks.

Haenow was crowned winner of The X Factor 2014 on Sunday night and official voting figures show that the Croydon lad had been the public's favourite for the past seven weeks.

The 29-year-old former truck driver from Croydon scored more than half of the public vote in the final with 57.2 per cent.

Contrary to being the bookies' favourites, Fleur East secured 34.3 per cent while Italian singer Andrea Faustini polled just 8.5 per cent. East, whose semi-final performance of Mark Ronson's Uptown Funk proved so popular that the producer released it five weeks early, was not the most popular contestant in any of the votes.

The figures show that she was neck-and-neck during the contest with Lauren Platt and almost came fourth to the young singer in the quarter finals. Faustini, who left on Saturday after coming third, was the favourite in the first three shows.

This year's series attracted 40 million votes – the highest number of any series in X Factor history. The rise in votes may be down to a new free app that enables fans to vote from their smartphones and tablets.

Haenow has released his single, a cover of Something I Need by OneRepublic in a bid to take the Christmas number one. He has competition from Uptown Funk however, which is currently number one.

How the public voted:

Final

• Ben Haenow - 57.2%

• Fleur East - 34.3%

• Andrea Faustini - 8.5%

• Semi-final

• Ben Haenow - 36.5%

• Fleur East - 24.3%

• Lauren Platt - 20.1%

• Andrea Faustini - 19.1%

Week 8

• Ben Haenow - 26.4%

• Andrea Faustini - 21%

• Fleur East - 17.9%

• Lauren Platt- 17.8%

• Stereo Kicks - 16.9%

Week 7

• Ben Haenow - 19.4%

• Fleur East - 16.1%

• Lauren Platt - 16.0%

• Stereo Kicks - 15.3%

• Stevi Ritchie - 14.7%

• Andrea Faustini - 13.2%

• Only the Young - 5.3%

Week 6

• Ben Haenow - 16.4%

• Fleur East - 14.0%

• Lauren Platt - 13.2%

• Andrea Faustini - 12.7%

• Stereo Kicks - 12.2%

• Only the Young - 12.2%

• Stevi Ritchie - 10.8%

• Jay James - 8.5%

Week 5

• Ben Haenow - 14.8%

• Andrea Faustini - 14.0%

• Lauren Platt - 13.1%

• Stereo Kicks - 12.4%

• Fleur East - 10.8%

• Stevi Ritchie - 10.3%

• Only the Young - 8.4%

• Jay James - 8.1%

• Paul Akister - 8.1%

Week 4

• Ben Haenow - 12.2%

• Andrea Faustini - 11.9%

• Stevi Ritchie - 11.5%

• Lauren Platt - 11.0%

• Paul Akister - 9.5%

• Fleur East - 9.4%

• Only the Young - 9.0%

• Jay James - 8.3%

• Stereo Kicks - 8.3%

• Lola Saunders - 6.3%

• Jack Walton - 2.6%

Week 3

• Andrea Faustini - 14.4%

• Lauren Platt - 11.8%

• Ben Haenow - 10.1%

• Paul Akister - 9.4%

• Fleur East - 9.3%

• Stereo Kicks - 8.9%

• Stevi Ritchie - 7.4%

• Jay James - 7.1%

• Lola Saunders - 6.9%

• Jack Walton - 5.3%

• Only the Young - 5.2%

• Jake Quickenden - 4.2%

Week 2

• Andrea Faustini - 14.5%

• Lauren Platt - 12.7%

• Paul Akister - 9.9%

• Ben Haenow - 9.1%

• Jay James - 7.6%

• Lola Saunders - 7.6%

• Fleur East - 6.0%

• Stevi Ritchie - 5.9%

• Only the Young - 5.6%

• Jack Walton - 5.3%

• Jake Quickenden - 4.8%

• Stereo Kicks - 4.4%

• Chloe Jasmine - 4.0%

• Stephanie Nala - 2.6%

Week 1

• Andrea Faustini - 19.2%

• Lauren Platt - 10.4%

• Paul Akister - 10.0%

• Ben Haenow - 8.7%

• Fleur East - 6.0%

• Lola Saunders - 5.7%

• Jay James - 5.5%

• Jake Quickenden - 5.1%

• Jack Walton - 5.0%

• Stevi Ritchie - 4.9%

• Stereo Kicks - 4.6%

• Chloe Jasmine - 4.3%

• Only the Young - 4.0%

• Stephanie Nala - 2.9%

• Overload Generation - 2.7%

• Blonde Electra - 1.0%