The X Factor has been off air since 2018, but the popular ITV talent show has produced some of the best boybands, girl groups, and singular musicians since its inception in 2004.
One stand-out contestant was a certain Yousseph Slimani, who came fifth in the 2005 installment of X Factor, MyLondon reports.
Yousseph, known as his stage name 'Chico', later went on to top the UK charts with his one-hit wonder “It’s Chico Time” in 2006.
This song was a hit globally, playing at many a kids club in holiday resorts, but what is the star Chico up to now?
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Find out more about his career moves and high points below:
Everyone loves a trier
Chico spoke out in 2013 after his stint on The X Factor, as judge Simon Cowell had once mentioned that he had "loved Chico from the moment he walked through the door".
The reality of this situation however, is far from the story Simon tells people - as Chico told The Sun in 2013 that it took him nine attempts to get through the audition stage of The X Factor.
Speaking at the time, Chico said: "I was sent home time after time from the auditions.
"When I tried out for the final time, Simon knew fine I was coming into the room, but pretended he didn’t. He said, ‘Not you again.’
“I don’t know what possessed me to sing Kiss by Prince. I started in too high an octave and by the end I was shrieking. Simon walked off.
"Or rather he pretended to storm off. That was just for show. I knew I was in.”
High points, money and fame
Chico done brilliantly to make the most of his fifteen minutes of fame from his single 'It's Chico Time', as he claims he was paid a quarter of a million pounds from holiday company Butlins to play a total of 100 gigs.
In the same 2013 interview, Chico explained that he wanted to release a more "serious record", but the label he was signed to put a stop to that.
His first release was dubbed 'C.H.I.C.O', a play on words based on the 80's classic D.I.S.C.O, but it never really took off from there for the singer.
He added: " I spent quarter of a million of my own money on my third single Curvy Cola Bottle Body Baby — it was all about size zero in the fashion industry.
"It didn’t get any air play and flopped. No one wanted to take Chico seriously.”
Losing it all - then turning to faith
Chico ended up losing all his life savings to this one venture.
He explained: "I had just £3.70 left in my pocket — with a family, a mortgage and all my credit cards maxed out. I went out for milk and bread, and when I walked past a beggar I just decided to give him it all.
“My wife went crazy when I came back without anything. She was shouting, ‘I’m sick of your PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) — it doesn’t pay the bills and we owe £2,000 on the mortgage.’
"So I went to my room — to hide away really — and pray and rub my worry beads. I’d given away my last coins. I’d done my best and believed God would do the rest.”
Described as a 'Sufi', meaning a spiritual being, Chico didn't have to wait long for his luck to change.
Chico continued: "No word of a lie, ten minutes later I got a phone call from Dancing On Ice to be a reserve. I asked what the fee would be and it matched my debt — from the mortgage to all the credit cards — to the penny.”
Dealing with a health scare
Later in 2018, Chico had another fight on his hands when he was rushed to hospital after suffering a stroke.
He thankfully recovered fully, and broke down when recalling the experience on an episode of ITV's Loose Women.
He said: “I got in the car and I was on the A3 on the phone to my wife. I was literally losing touch with reality. I said ‘hun I think I’m having a spiritual experience I will talk to you soon’, so I pulled over.
"I thought this was an awakening, an enlightenment, but it was a near-death experience.”
He added: “I didn’t know it was a stroke. I am all about fitness and I thought it was a virus. I went to the doctors on the Tuesday and he looked at the results of my MRI scan.
"There was a 50p sized clot on the right-hand side of my brain. As soon as the doctor came back he said ‘This is a full-on stroke’.”
One massive career change for the better
Since making a recovery from his stroke, Chico has started his own fitness programme called Block Fit.
He explained to Wales Online that the programme was based on his two fitness heroes, Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali.
At the time, Chico said: "It's a combination of combat, dance, and HIIT and there's a big emphasis on wellness.”
Now, Chico lives quietly at home in Hertfordshire with his two kids Lalla-Khiara, 15, and Zacharia, 11.
