Leona Lewis was once working as a Pizza Hut waitress to fund studio sessions before winning a £1million record deal.
The X Factor winner, who is celebrating her 37th birthday today, was struggling to secure a deal after leaving BRIT school so auditioned in front of the judges.
The Hackney-born star was a favourite from the start and won the ITV show by a landslide back in 2006, defeating Ray Quinn in the final, under the mentorship of Simon Cowell.
