It really was 'Chico Time' on The X Factor - but life took a drastic turn for the singer when his music career fizzled out.
The loveable singer, whose real name is Yousseph Slimani, bounced into the limelight when he auditioned on the second series of the talent show in 2005.
Describing himself as a "Moroccan ex-goat herding stripper", the cheeky chappy caused chaos as judge Simon Cowell walked out of the room in protest when Louis Walsh an Sharon Osbourne put him through to Boot Camp.
With his hilarious persona and wild antics, such as jumping into Sharon's pool while still holding a microphone, Chico won the hearts of the nation and finished in fifth place.
He turned his catchphrase into number one chart-topper 'It's Chico Time', which knocked Madonna off the top spot in 2006.
But the singer is now living a life far away from the cameras with wife Daniyela and two children, Lalla-Khira and Zacharia, while running wellness retreat in Portugal.
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Away from music, Chico's life was turned upside down when he lost every penny he had made from his music career.
His music career fizzled out and he had to rely on pantos and holiday camp gigs to pay his bills.
However, he decided to drastically change direction and started to build up a fitness empire with his programme Block Fit.
"In 2014 I lost my life savings – every penny I had ever made. I was thinking about what I could do next – I'm not the sort of person to sit and dwell," he told Wales Online in February 2020.
"I sort of had an epiphany. I love music and I love fitness and that's how I came up with Block Fit.
"It's inspired by my two heroes, Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee. It's a combination of combat, dance, and HIIT and there's a big emphasis on wellness. My philosophy is to get from A to B in the shortest time with maximum impact. I've picked what works and got rid of the rest.
"But I'm Chico, I'm a ball of energy, and that's what Block Fit is all about. I've also become more spiritually aware and that's is reflected in what I do."
Then Chico had a devastating stroke which was caused by a massive blood clot that ended up in his brain.
The singer was rushed to hospital after falling ill following a fitness class he was leading - and was warned by doctors it could have killed him.
Chico was driving from Bognor Regis to his North London home after an energetic workout when he lost control of his senses and blacked out shortly after pulling over.
It was only when his worried family urged him to seek help that Chico discovered he'd actually had a stroke.
"My angels were working over time that day," Chico told The Sun.
Describing his terrifying ordeal in detail for the firs time, he said: "My eyes were going in the back of my head literally - I was in a bad way. I was far from OK.
"There was no sense of Chico. I was having a near-death experience. It was like I'm dying. I thought I was about to take my last breath."
Incredibly, he then found the strength to complete his drive back to the London home and drove to another class in Skegness the next day.
As he launched into the class, Chico said his left hand stopped functioning and he was struggled to speak as he attempted to lead the workout.
His concerned wife Daniyela took him to hospital the next day where blood tests and an MRI scan revealed he'd suffered a stroke.
Doctors dubbed called Chico a 'walking, talking miracle' after hearing how he'd driven himself home and then returned to work.
Chico shocked the nation in August 2020 when he was spotted at an anti-lockdown protest with Piers Corbyn.
Jeremy Corbyn's brother was arrested at the Trafalgar Square protest and was fined £10,000 for breaking newly introduced coronavirus laws.
At the time, those attending a gathering of more than 30 people may have been committing a criminal offence.
Protestors held anti-mask and anti-vaccination placards aloft while speakers described Covid-19 as a "hoax".
But the biggest surprise was the sight of Chico on stage with Piers Corbyn and conspiracy theorist David Icke.
One Twitter user asked: "Is that Chico from X-Factor behind Piers Corbyn there or am I imagining things?"
"David Icke, Piers Corbyn & Chico from X-Factor. Thats some motley crew they have there," added another.
The Metropolitan Police said a 73-year-old man had been arrested in central London on suspicion of breaking newly introduced coronavirus laws and been handed a £10,000 fine.
The Met said the man was arrested in Trafalgar Square at 3.25pm on suspicion of breaking the new Health Protection Regulations 2020 and was then released from custody.
Confirming his arrest and the fine, Mr Corbyn told the Daily Mirror: "This is a monstrous attack on the right to protest."
Met Police Commander Bas Javid said: "Yesterday officers worked tirelessly across London speaking with our local communities, reminding them that we remain in a health pandemic and that restrictions continue to be in place to keep them and their families safe."
Chico has devoted a lot of his time to charity work and founded the Rainbow Child Foundation with his wife Daniyela and JC Mac.
They opened an orphanage in Cambodia and he visited Malawi to open water pumps for their project with the charity One Water.
Chico has also used his musical talents to help raise money for a variety of charities across the world and in this country.
The money made from his 2010 single 'It's England Time' went to the Rainbow Child Foundation to help underprivileged children in Africa.
And in 2007 he released the single 'Curvy Cola Bottle Body' as a protest against the 'size zero' phenomenon - teaming up with the British Eating Disorders Association (BEAT) and donating the profits to the charity.
The singer is now living a life far away from the cameras as he runs a wellness retreat in Portugal.
And he has turned against the show which made him a star, slamming The X Factor for "using and abusing" contestants.
In April last year, Chico said aspiring artists are "naive and silly" to expect a long career in the music industry after appearing on the show.
He claimed he used his short-lived fame as a "platform" to "go on and do other things".
"It gave me the chance to earn a good living, I've been around the country entertaining the masses, so much has come from that," he said on Late night with Cristo on talkRADIO.
"I can't complain because I again, I knew what it was, they use you, or abuse you, and you use that platform to go on," he added.
"You are completely replaceable and as I said it's a conveyor belt. if you're not going to do it, someone else will take your place to do it."
An X Factor spokesperson said: “Duty of care to our contestants is of the utmost importance to us. We take welfare very seriously and have measures in place to ensure that they are supported."
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