X Factor winner Joe McElderry looks unrecognisable as he shows off his shirtless physique while hitting the beach in Barbados
The British singer, 33, shot to fame more than 15 years ago when he won the show at aged just 18 in 2009.
And nearly two decades after his triumph, Joe looked almost unrecognisable from his baby-faced younger self as he enjoyed a sunny day on the beach during his Caribbean holiday.
The singer, who now rocks a rugged look with dark stubble and slicked-back hair, went for a jog along the shoreline, showing off his tanned physique.
The star then stripped off his shirt and took a refreshing dip in the crystal-clear ocean.
From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop.
It comes after Joe took to the stage to star as Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in March.
Dancing and singing across the stage at Manchester's Opera House, he put on an energetic performance as he showcased his muscly physique in a silver gladiator costume.
The production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's show kicked off their tour before Christmas and started in Edinburgh.
Prior to this, Joe revealed he trained with former Miss Universe finalist Caroline Dixon and followed a strict diet to get in shape for the role.
Previously speaking in an interview with Fabulous magazine, he said: 'Most of the stuff we do is killer, but in a weird way I really enjoy it.'
He added: 'I'm a really active person and I've done lots of charity bike rides.'
The star showed off his incredible body transformation on Instagram at the end of 2024 as he proudly displayed his toned physique as he donned nothing but a pair of grey workout shorts and chunky black trainers.
He captioned the snap with: '2025 the year of the workout' alongside several emojis.
The singer has worked hard to lose weight after he sported a fuller frame during an appearance on ITV daytime show, Lorraine, in 2015.
Joe starred on X Factor when he was just 18 years old back in 2009, beating Stacey and Olly to the crown.
But more recently he has embarked on a huge career move and is starring on the podcast, That's Ridiculous alongside his grandma Hilda.
Joe also reminisced about his time on the show which catapulted him to fame.
He said: 'Every time I see that clip, I feel so old, I look so young on there!', he said.
Joe's debut single - a cover of Miley Cyrus' The Climb - rose to number one in the UK charts immediately after his X Factor triumph.
The talent show star boasts a discography of five albums, which all made the top 20.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Alexandra Burke's stunning body transformation with heartbreaking reason for change
The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing star says 'nothing else matters' as she makes vow to her two young children Singer Alexandra Burke is gearing up for a busy couple of years of marathons and babies. The singer and actress has a plan, and it involves two marathons – and then two more children. The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing favourite, who is also a mum of two and seems to have an unstoppable energy when it comes to her family and career, says she can't wait to expand her brood with fiancé Darren Randolph. The loved-up pair got engaged last year. But first, Alexandra admits, she has two major fitness goals she'd like to hit... 'I'm going to do London next year and, by the grace of god, New York,' she says as she shares her marathon plans. It comes after Taylor Swift sparks engagement rumours as fans spot Travis Kelce's lock screen READ MORE: Liz Hurley and mum stun fans as they pose in matching plunging swimsuits READ MORE: Gwyneth Paltrow admits she felt lonely in final years of marriage to Chris Martin 'And then think about more children. I'm desperate for more. We'd love four. We're good with whatever the universe gives us because we're very lucky to even have two. We'd love to try, but it's just not right now. We're fitness freaks at the minute. I'm loving work. I'm enjoying just being a mum and being an actress.' Alexandra, 36, says her health came into sharp focus eight years ago when she lost her mum, the Soul II Soul singer Melissa Bell. She was diabetic and suffered kidney failure, passing away at just 53. Taking care of herself became a key priority for Alexandra, especially since the arrival of her children, aged two and three. 'I started it eight years ago when my mum passed but I've taken it to a different level now because of running,' she explains. 'I've always been in the fitness mindset and also now I've got my kids. As long as I can be healthy and strong for them, nothing else matters. 'I feel your health is your wealth and you've just got to take care of stuff as much as you can. If there's one thing we all can control, it's what we put in our bodies, how much we move our bodies, create great endorphins and just try and find happiness in every little thing that we try and do.' Having run the London Marathon this year, Alexandra has caught the bug. 'Marathons come first now,' she laughs. 'I need to focus on the running because it gives me joy. I only ran 10k once in lockdown or I would just do 5k on the treadmill, thinking, 'Oh yeah, great run,' and now I do nine miles.' She's also set herself another fitness goal – the notoriously tough HYROX challenge. This intense challenge tests endurance and strength. Alexandra is doing it with husband Darren, 38, a goalkeeper who has played for the likes of Middlesbrough, West Ham and Birmingham City. She says the mantra of 'couples who train together stay together' is true and exercise has cemented their strong relationship. 'Darren's an athlete. I've got to keep up with him,' she says. 'He pushes me and goes, 'Alex, come on. You're having a bit of a low day today, but we'll go for a run together.' And we run together and it's amazing.' Alexandra has transformed her body with these activities and says, for her, it's a better weight-loss option than jabs. 'It's your body, your choice what you do. But my choice is to make sure my a**e is in that gym and I'm running,' she says. Also keeping the star's blood pumping is her role as Morticia in the Addams Family musical, which is currently touring – though a rehearsal injury threatened to halt the show before it had even begun. 'I injured myself in rehearsals with a suspected torn meniscus,' Bad Boys singer Alexandra revealed when she attended the Grand Prix Ball for the Make-a-Wish Foundation recently. 'The MRI came back and it wasn't torn. It would've been awful. I'm still able to do the show."
Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Rebecca Loos' life became 'hell' as David Beckham's 'blossomed' after 'affair'
Rebecca Loos has hit out after her world was turned upside down following the scandal she faced involving David Beckham – but his life 'blossomed' in the wake of it Rebecca Loos has hit out, claiming it was"unjust" how she suffered the consequences following her "affair" with David Beckham. The former glamour model who worked as David's personal assistant in the early 2000s sensationally claimed she and the Manchester United legend had an affair with one another. At the time, Beckham, 50, branded the allegations as "ludicrous" but never sought legal assistance to challenge the claims or any interviews that Loos gave. Following the allegations, Rebecca, 48, went on to find fame as a reality star, appearing on The Farm, Celebrity Love Island, and X Factor, before eventually turning her back on fame and finding peace as a yoga teacher in Norway. Now, she has spoken about how her life completely changed after the allegations were made public and the levels of scrutiny she faced, while David went on to become a global icon. She was branded the "sleazy senorita" and faced claims that she attempted to ruin David's marriage with Spice Girls legend, Victoria Beckham. It comes after Cruz Beckham 'steals' his dad's tiny white trunks and family have epic response. Rebecca is set to appear on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, which sees her in a completely different light, stripped back from everything she knows. It comes after the Beckham's launched a huge Netflix documentary about their lives away from the cameras. "That took me completely by surprise," she said of the Beckham documentary, adding: "Let's call it what it was: him trying to portray an image of perfection that was nothing like reality. "It felt unjust that my life was pretty hell, and his life kept going and kept blossoming. I've been accused of being a liar. I've had a lifetime of opinions around me, and I've definitely developed thick skin. "I think the public opinion now has softened, at least from what I'm gathering since the documentary came out with the Beckhams a couple of years ago. I think it is now because thanks to social media, there is a whole different following out there, which is a double-edged sword." But while she feels it's unjust, she admits some of the blame lies with her. In a press pack, Rebecca said: "I think I've definitely taken most of the blame – rightly so. It was part of my life. He was older than me, he was my boss. But I'm not someone to be silenced when I've been wronged, and that documentary took absolutely no responsibility. "When he said, 'It was so horrible to see my wife suffer,' I thought, 'Mate, think twice about the things you do.'" Like all the recruits, Rebecca faced a grilling in the show's Mirror Room. Jason Fox and Chris Oliver questioned her motives for being on the show before asking how she felt about her affair with Beckham now that she's had the time to reflect on it. In his Netflix 2023 documentary, Beckham didn't name Rebecca and failed to take any accountability. He just said: "I don't know how we got through it in all honesty," on a tricky time when he lived in Madrid. On being asked about Beckham on the Channel 4 show and what she feels about how things have played out, she added: "I was quite guarded at the beginning. I was trying to be guarded because it's not something I want to talk about the whole time. But at the same time I also wanted to be honest with them, so they were really good at getting through to me. "They're obviously professionals at this. I don't shy away from what I've been through, and I don't shy away from the decisions that I've made. They have shaped me into who I am, and I've really learnt a lot from the mistakes that I've made in my life and the things that I've done. And I really do think that being truthful is the only way to go in life. I'll stand by that forever. "It takes a lot of courage to tell the truth and to own up to mistakes that you have made, mistakes and times in your life you're not proud of. And it's very easy to just brush them under the carpet and move on. That's like the coward's way, I think, of living."
The Independent
13 hours ago
- The Independent
Danny Ocean gets on a tropical vibe for 'Babylon Club'
Danny Ocean wants to take his fans to a tropical paradise where they can relax and feel good about the music of his album 'Babylon Club.' The album is a way to expand the world of Babylon beyond just the name or his fan club and his 'Babylon Girl' battle cry, which began when his hit 'Me Rehúso' launched the Venezuelan urban artist to global fame. 'We're called Babylon Club, and I think it's very much in honor of them,' he said of his fans in an interview ahead of this week's release of his album. 'And it's also like this utopian place on the beach where you arrive, that space in your life where you realize that not everything is work and that life is beautiful too, that you have to live it and that life is one.' The inspiration of the beach, tropics and Caribbean comes from taking time to heal the soul, to be with your loved ones and leave obligations for a while. The cover with Ocean in front of a palm leaf and blue water suits him very well with the song 'Crayola,' in which he creates a tropical vibe by diving fully into salsa. 'I'm from the Caribbean too. In the end I love merengue, I love Afro, I love everything that is tropi sounds,' he said. Recruiting big stars for 'Babylon Club' Creating the sounds of 'Babylon Club' meant international teamups and a trip to Ocean's song vault. For 'Priti,' the album's first single, he traveled to Panama to work with Sech in his native country. 'He received me with all the love in the world. We went out to get to know his country, we had a good time,' he said. 'Then we became very close friends, which is the nice thing about collaborating, that sometimes you go out meeting a colleague and leave as a friend of this person.' Louis BPM, his guest on 'Sunshine,' is a fresh voice of urban music in Venezuela, originally from the Pinto Salinas neighborhood of Caracas. 'I had been listening to him for a while, and I liked it a lot. I really liked his voice, I really liked how he writes his reality,' said Ocean. He said he feels the need to share more urban music created in Venezuela. 'It is very difficult to come from a place where there is no industry and where there is no education. It's difficult to go out and compete abroad, but that's where we are,' he said. 'We are all set to push our culture outside and make ourselves known.' Mexico City was where Ocean and Kenia Os collaborated on 'AyMami,' a song he previously recorded but never released. 'I did 'AyMami' about eight years ago and suddenly last year I stumbled upon the demo again. I heard it, I said wow!' he said. 'She has a very good vibe... She works a lot and is doing something all the time, and that is a great plus in this industry.' The beach inspired other songs, including the flamenco-ish 'Corazón,' which was born while Ocean was sitting with friends in Miami playing a guitar he likes. 'Arena,' about a crush at first sight on a Venezuelan beach, features Puerto Rican star Arcángel while 'Anoche', with the Spanish singer Aitana, also transport listeners to the shore. Sending a message of 'strength and patience' to migrants The album is accompanied by a short film, created with videos of five of his songs, which begins with 'Priti.' It features performances by Venezuelan María Gabriela de Faría and her husband Christian McGaffney and portrays people years after they have emigrated, when they are working hard. 'I'm like her little angel who appears in various circumstances and tells her to escape, she's going to the beach ... a beach that in the end is Babylon Club,' he said. 'I'm not saying stop working or anything like that, but get away, give yourself some time for yourself, you deserve it and remember that life is beautiful too.' Ocean, 33, identifies with De Faría's character and believes that the same thing happens to many immigrants. 'At least I can talk about Venezuelans, that we are kind of trapped a little bit in work, work, work, work, that sometimes we forget a little about living life, you know?' he said. Ocean will begin a tour in September that will take him to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama. He immigrated to the United States almost a decade ago with the goal of fulfilling his dream in music. In the face of changing immigration policies and raids, he expressed solidarity with migrants. 'I know it's a very, very sensitive issue. And I know that many of us are going through a very particular uncertainty right now, and it hurts, it hurts to see your people also go through this uncertainty,' he said. 'As a migrant, I can tell you that what happens is scary, you know? And the only thing I can say is to send strength and patience to the people.'
