Joe McElderry reveals he quit X Factor at bootcamp three years before returning to win

He was crowned X Factor champion aged 18 back in 2009. 

And almost 13 years on from the career-defining moment, Joe McElderry let fans into a secret on Monday - that he quit the ITV show three years before his victory. 

Looking worlds apart from the squeaky clean persona he emanated during the competition, the 30-year-old singer, dressed in an edgy leather jacket, recalled on Steph's Packed Lunch how he walked out during the bootcamp stage, aged 15. 

Spilling the tea: Joe McElderry looked worlds apart from his X Factor persona on Steph's Packed Lunch on Monday - as he revealed he quit the ITV show at bootcamp three years before returning to win

He said: 'So I would've been about 15. I got to bootcamp and on the second day I was like, "I don't like the cameras being here." Just overwhelming. 

'I pulled a producer to one side and I was like, "Excuse me, I'm just going to leave now, this isn't for me." I don't think they'd ever really had that before. You could tell they were a bit like "sorry what?" 

'I just said, "I don't feel like I'm good enough and I don't feel like I'm ready or confident enough and I left."'

Way back when: The 30-year-old singer was crowned X Factor champion aged 18 back in 2009 (pictured during the live shows)

Looking back: Dressed in an edgy leather jacket, Joe recalled how he walked out during the bootcamp stage, aged 15

He explained: 'I pulled a producer to one side and I was like, "Excuse me, I'm just going to leave now, this isn't for me"'

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.

His career has also taken him to the theatre in 2015, where he played the lead role of Joseph in the touring production of the musical Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. 

Career-defining: 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

Work: The talent show star boasts a discography of five albums, which all made the top 20

All smiles: Joe was in good spirits as he left the television studio and was happy to stop and pose for photographs

Greeting his public: The star stopped to sign autographs for fans, happy to chat before making his way to enjoy the rest of his day

In style: Joe showed off his edgy sense of style in a black leather jacket with a grey shirt which featured a plunging neckline

Thumbs up: As well as promoting his upcoming ventures via social media, the bubbly South Shields native has been documenting his sweaty workouts

As well as promoting his upcoming ventures via social media, the bubbly South Shields native has been documenting his sweaty workouts. 

In one photo, the West End star crouched on a workout mat surrounding by assault bikes. 

He wrote: 'If you assault bikes! You know this feeling very well,' followed by a sick emoji.  

Working hard: In one photo, the West End star crouched on a workout mat surrounded by assault bikes