X Factor 2012: Runner-up Jahmene praises James

X Factor 2012 runner-up Jahmene Douglas paid tribute to his fellow contestant James Arthur as he was crowned series winner on Sunday night. The 21-year-old remained gracious in defeat despite narrowly losing out to his rival, after both had made one final attempt to impress the voters with a performance of their favourite song from the series and the song that would be their debut single if they won. And he kept on smiling as he told Dermot O'Leary: "It's such a blessing to even share a stage with such a talent, he's my idol." Sunday night's show had seen the 21-year-old win warm praise from the judges after he performed Robbie Williams' Angels followed by The Beatles classic Let It Be - which would have been his single if he had been named winner. Louis Walsh went so far as to tell him, "I want you to win the show," after his first performance while Tulisa added: "I'm really happy you picked that song, it was amazing." Meanwhile Gary Barlow touched upon his troubled upbringing with a violent father, saying: You have been battling with your past and fighting for your future you have done it with such dignity and grace." And his mentor Nicole Scherzinger fought back tears as she added: "You just bring spirit and hope to this song, when you sing I just feel safe. You're my role model you are like a beacon of light." His second performance led Gary to praise him for his "incredible voice" while Tulisa had just one thing to add. "That was a jahmazing shashmoment," she said.

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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.