X Factor winner Dalton Harris forced to LEAVE the UK
Jamaican-born X Factor winner Dalton Harris forced to LEAVE the UK days after show triumph as his visa expires
- The 24-year-old The Power of Love singer, who won the competition on Sunday, said his visa only allowed him to stay in the UK for the duration of the show
- He said: ‘I need to get a new visa. I will have to leave the UK for a bit as you’re not allowed to just stay forever’
- The singer added: ‘I had a visa that allowed me to compete in the show, so I’d be surprised if the Government didn’t give me one now I have won’
- Show bosses are now said to be negotiating for him to stay in the country, with the latest news putting single promotion and his place on the X Factor live tour in jeopardy
- His debut single featuring former X Factor champion James Arthur is currently at number one on the UK iTunes chart
Jamaican-born X Factor winner Dalton Harris has revealed he will be forced to leave the UK just days after his show triumph as his visa is set to expire.
Speaking to The Sun, the 24-year-old The Power of Love singer, who won the competition on Sunday, said his visa only allowed him to stay in the UK for the duration of the show.
He said: ‘I need to get a new visa. I will have to leave the UK for a bit as you’re not allowed to just stay forever.
Shock: Jamaican-born X Factor winner Dalton Harris has revealed he will be forced to leave the UK just days after his show triumph as his visa is set to expire (pictured on December 3)
‘Hopefully my visa will be sorted out quickly.
‘I had a visa that allowed me to compete in the show, so I’d be surprised if the Government didn’t give me one now I have won.’
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Show bosses are now said to be negotiating for him to stay in the country, with the latest news putting single promotion and his place on the X Factor live tour in jeopardy.
MailOnline has contacted representatives for Dalton and the Home Office for comment.
Triumph: Speaking to The Sun , the 24-year-old The Power of Love singer, who won the competition on Sunday, said his visa only allowed him to stay in the UK for the duration of the show (pictured performing in the final with Emeli Sande)
Dalton’s predicament comes eight years after X Factor contestant Gamu Nhengu narrowly avoided being deported to Zimbabwe, after her mother’s visa application was turned down.
Despite being tipped to win X Factor that year, Gamu was controversially dumped before the live shows by then-judge Cheryl, and did not make it in to the final 12.
More than 200,000 fans joined a Facebook campaign at the time calling for the return of Gamu to the show and, despite rumours of a dramatic return, she did not re-enter the competition.
In November 2011 the Home Office failed in its appeal to overturn a decision to grant the then 19-year-old singer, her two brothers Milton, 12, and ten-year-old Marty, and their mother Nokuthula Ngazana, leave to remain in Scotland.
Outrage: Dalton’s predicament comes eight years after X Factor contestant Gamu Nhengu narrowly avoided being deported to Zimbabwe, after her mother’s visa application was turned down
The family, who lived in a small flat in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, were refused leave to remain in the UK by the Home Office in February of that year.
They successfully appealed the original refusal by the UK Government agency, but the Home Office tried to overturn that decision and have the family deported.
Earlier this week Dalton insisted he doesn’t just want to be known as ‘The X Factor guy’ after being crowned the winner of this year’s series.
The singer beat out fellow finalists Scarlett Lee, 21, and Anthony Russell, 28, for the crown in a nail-biting final.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Dalton told how he doesn’t think winning the show guarantees anyone anything, after some finalists have found greater success than some of the winners.
Champion: This comes as Dalton has insisted he doesn’t just want to be known as ‘ The X Factor guy’ after being crowned the winner of this year’s series (pictured on Tuesday)
He said: ‘I want to be taken seriously as an artist. Coming off of X Factor, which is such an awesome thing, I don’t want to just be The X Factor guy.
‘I want to be a real artist. I want to have a career. I am ready to work. I want to make an album.’
Previous X Factor contestants like One Direction, Olly Murs and JLS went on to achieve great commercial success, despite not winning their respective series.
As a result, there has been speculation of an X Factor ‘winners’ curse’ as the likes of Matt Cardle, Joe McElderry, Leon Jackson and Steve Brookstein had shorter-lived success with their music in comparison to some of those who did not win.
Dalton, who cut his teeth working on cruise ships, has a pragmatic approach to his success on the ITV series, believing it doesn’t necessarily guarantee him success or failure.
Determined: Dalton said: ‘I want to be taken seriously as an artist. Coming off of X Factor, I don’t want to just be The X Factor guy’
He said: ‘I don’t think winning guarantees anything and I also don’t think winning marks you with an X which means, “Because you win you will be successful or because you win will not be successful”.’
‘It all depends on the product. I’m a singer and I love to sing but it’s business. Anything can happen to anybody.’
With the music industry often unpredictable, Dalton insisted he’s not taking any of his success for granted.
He said: ‘I could leave here and never get a record deal and go back to cruise ships, fine. You honestly never know.
Pragmatic: Dalton said: He said: ‘I don’t think winning guarantees anything and I also don’t think winning marks you with an X’
Debut: His first single, The Power of Love, has topped the iTunes charts, beating out the likes of Ariana Grande, Halsey and Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
‘That’s why I say take everything with a spoon of salt. You can sell millions of records this year and none next year.
‘You could a million gigs this year and next year never get booked for one.’
The singer has already found early success with his debut single, The Power of Love.
It has topped the iTunes charts, beating out the likes of Ariana Grande, Halsey and Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper.
Remaining humble, Dalton said: ‘I feel like that’s something I can’t take credit for. It’s so great but you have to understand, what reaction should I have?
‘I can’t just say thank you because it feels like an understatement but I can’t just say, “hmm it’s normal”, because it’s not. I am floored. I just want to hit the ground running.’
Shock: Dalton admitted he can hardly remember the moment on stage when he was announced as the winner and embraced by his mentor, Louis Tomlinson
Celebration: He said: ‘I don’t remember. I only remember waking up in Louis’ dressing room and coming back [to reality]. I felt like I was being electrocuted’
Dalton admitted he can hardly remember the moment on stage when he was announced as the winner and embraced by his mentor, Louis Tomlinson.
He said: ‘I don’t remember. I only remember waking up in Louis’ dressing room and coming back [to reality]. I felt like I was being electrocuted.’
The TV star also credited show boss Simon Cowell with supporting him throughout the series from his very first audition where he sang Elton John’s Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word.
He said: ‘[Simon] has been very supportive. He believes in me, from audition to now.’
Dalton has been performing for years and previously won Jamaican talent show, Digicel Rising Stars in 2010 when he was just 16.
Appearing on The X Factor had been a longtime dream for the singer, who had been honing his musical abilities for years before he auditioned.
Performer: Dalton has been performing for years and previously won Jamaican talent show, Digicel Rising Stars in 2010 when he was just 16
Plan: Appearing on The X Factor had been a longtime dream for the singer, who had been honing his musical abilities for years before he auditioned
He said: ‘Every single decision I’ve made in the last seven, almost eight years, has been for this show. I went to cruise ships to finance it.
‘That was me getting paid to learn. I wanted to be here and I worked extremely hard.’
Following several years of chart domination, an X Factor winner’s single has not become Christmas number one since Ben Haenow in 2014 with Something I Need.
When asked if he thinks he can buck the trend, Dalton stated it’s not down to him.
He said: ‘How am I going to keep this up? How do I make a number one? I would love it, but I don’t know. It’s out of my hands.’
Success: When asked if he thinks he can make the Christmas number one, Dalton said: ‘How am I going to keep this up? How do I make a number one? I would love it, but I don’t know’
Speaking about his Jamaican heritage, Dalton hopes his success will mean people will help other young people to achieve their dreams.
He said: ‘I would like to tour the world as a Jamaican. When people look to Jamaica they only see reggae.
‘Nobody ever really looks to Jamaica for a powerhouse vocalist or a kind of artist who is not dancehall or reggae.
‘That’s a mold I’d love to break. There’s so many kids back home who are way more talented than I am. I’d like to show the world what I can do.’
Future: He said: ‘When people look to Jamaica they only see reggae and dancehall. Nobody ever really looks to Jamaica for a powerhouse vocalist who is not reggae or dancehall’
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