Joe has the X Factor

At the end of what was possibly the most controversial series ever, Joe is crowned the winner of The X Factor 2009.

In pictures - check out our gallery from the X Factor Final...

The final was a huge event with an impressive array of guests including past X Factor winners Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke who performed with 2008's runners-up JLS.

Other guests on the show included George Michael who sung his Christmas single, 'December Song' and pop legend, Sir Paul McCartney who performed two classic hits - with the help/interferance of the final 12 in places.

Over 10 million votes were phoned in to the show over the last 24 hour but only one person could win and it was South Shields lad, Joe who was named the winner.

Joe started singing a few years ago after playing around on a karaoke machine. Since then, hes performed in a few local musicals and entered the North-East Music Means Life competition in 2008.  Now he has his own single release.

There was originally rumours that the winner's single might be Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin'', but it was later announced that the winner would be releasing a version of the Miley Cyrus track 'The Climb'.

Despite going top ten in the US and top 5 in Australia, the song stuck at No. 11 when it was released here earlier this year.  So, it's pretty much guaranteed to be a bigger hit for Joe.