Little Mix worst-selling X Factor winner since Steve Brookstein

The group hit the number one slot last night with their cover of Damien Rice's hit Cannonball.

But despite the huge exposure of the group with more than 15 million viewers tuning in to watch the X Factor reach its climax, the track sold 210,000 copies in its first week.

The Little Mix track sold less than half of 2010 winner Matt Cardle's first week tally of 439,000.
And its sales are dwarfed by the success of past winners such as 2005 champion Shayne Ward whose That's My Goal sold 742,180.

Single releases are usually timed to coincide with the week of the Christmas number one, but this year programme bosses released the track a week earlier.

Gareth Malone's choir of Military Wives is now favourite to take the prized festive top slot which will be announced on Christmas Day itself.

Little Mix even finished behind 2007's little-remembered winner Leon Jackson who shifted nearly 276,000 copies of his debut When You Believe in the first week.

The only past winner which the all-female quartet have outsold is Steve Brookstein who triumphed in 2004, when The X Factor was in its infancy.

Brookstein sold almost 128,000 copies of his single Against All Odds in a week.

However Little Mix can take some comfort from the fact their single achieved the biggest first week sales for a single so far this year. And it outsold the rest of this week's Official Singles Chart top five combined.

Steve Jones to be axed from US X Factor

The 34-year-old presenter - who was slammed as "utterly irrelevant" by one critic - will not have his existing contract renewed for a second season after receiving "terrible reviews".

An insider told the Daily Mirror: "Steve keeps saying that living in Los Angeles is a dream come true. He loves the weather and the women, and he loves working on X Factor - it's just a shame that the US public has not warmed to him.

"He got terrible reviews from critics when he started and things haven't got better. There have been mistakes and he just doesn't seem to have the knack for dealing with contestants.

"The executives at Fox have already decided not to renew his contract and so, short of a miracle happening, it is pretty much a done deal that he will not take part next season."

It is believed the Welsh star could be replaced by Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, who took up a role on the judging panel alongside L.A. Reid, Paula Abdul and show boss Simon Cowell after Cheryl Cole was sensationally fired from the series after just four rounds of auditions.

A US X Factor spokesperson said: "No discussions have been had and no decisions will be made about any new contracts until the New Year."

Steve has previously blamed his "rude" presenting manner - which saw him fail to comfort axed 13-year-old hopeful Rachel Crow when she collapsed to the floor in tears live on air - on "screaming" producers.

He said: "I'm wearing an earpiece and there's about five people screaming, 'Shut Paula up. Shut her up now. Move on.' I'm going to have hearing damage in this ear by the end of series.

"I feel terrible because I feel on occasions I'm coming across as rude and abrupt and that's really not me. I cherish every word that comes out of Paula."

EastEnders star Steve McFadden is the highest earning celebrity appearing in panto this year.

His former EastEnders colleague Larry Lamb will earn £150,000 playing Abanazar in Aladdin, while Jedward will pocket that amount each to star in Jedward And The Beanstalk in Dublin.

A source said: "Steve is one of the soap world's most well-known villains. He's a massive audience puller and this is reflected in his fee. The soap's bosses were happy to let him take time out to do the panto.

"He was the one everyone wanted this year as he really does get bums on seats. Everyone knows who Phil Mitchell is and EastEnders is one of the biggest shows on TV, so to have him star in your panto is massive.

"He's a great villain on TV so you can imagine what he's like in front of a live audience - everyone loves him. They really don't get better than him when it comes to playing the typical pantomime baddie."

Other top earning celebrities appearing in panto this Christmas are David Hasselhoff, who is getting £125,000 plus a luxury hotel room to stay in for the duration of his version of Peter Pan. Pamela Anderson is reportedly being paid £125,000 to play the Genie in Aladdin.

EastEnders star Steve McFadden is reportedly the highest earning celebrity appearing in panto this year.

The actor, who plays Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap, will earn £200,000 to take on the role of Captain Hook in Peter Pan at The New Victoria Theatre, Woking, the Daily Star Sunday reports.

His former EastEnders colleague Larry Lamb will earn £150,000 playing Abanazar in Aladdin, while Jedward will pocket that amount each to star in Jedward And The Beanstalk in Dublin.

A source said: "Steve is one of the soap world's most well-known villains. He's a massive audience puller and this is reflected in his fee. The soap's bosses were happy to let him take time out to do the panto

"He was the one everyone wanted this year as he really does get bums on seats. Everyone knows who Phil Mitchell is and EastEnders is one of the biggest shows on TV, so to have him star in your panto is massive.

"He's a great villain on TV so you can imagine what he's like in front of a live audience - everyone loves him. They really don't get better than him when it comes to playing the typical pantomime baddie."

Other top earning celebrities appearing in panto this Christmas are David Hasselhoff, who is getting £125,000 plus a luxury hotel room to stay in for the duration of his version of Peter Pan. Pamela Anderson is reportedly being paid £125,000 to play the Genie in Aladdin.

Pamela Anderson appears on 'Loose Women'