X Factor icon Wagner Fiuza-Carrilhohas has revealed his jaw-dropping transformation, 15 years after rising to fame on the iconic ITV show.

The singer, 69, rose to fame thanks to his outlandish performance style, and earned a huge army of fans which saw him reach week eight of the compeтιтion.

Despite moving back to his native Brazil, Wagner has now returned to the UK after his attempts to launch a hair transplant business failed.

And despite being on the cusp of his 70th birthday, the performer showed off his new ripped physique in an interview for FUBAR Radio.

Chatting to host Andrew White, Wagner spoke about his decision to return to the UK, saying: ‘I went to Brazil for 22 months, and I came back in December, I went there to open a Vinci hair clinic franchise. 

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X Factor icon Wagner Fiuza-Carrilhohas has revealed his jaw-dropping transformation, 15 years after rising to fame on the iconic ITV show

The singer rose to fame thanks to his outlandish performance style, and earned a huge army of fans which saw him reach week eight of the compeтιтion

‘A hair transplant plant clinic, but I couldn’t stand living there. And my original plan, it was to have the clinic there and run it from here. It wouldn’t work. 

‘I would have to be there. So I sold it back to the Da Vinci hair clinic in friendship with the owner, a good friend of mine, and I’m back.’

In 2010, Wagner became famous overnight when he auditioned for series seven of The X Factor and made it all the way to the quarter final as part of the over 28s category under judge Louis Walsh.

The singer was loved for combining classic songs into one memorable performance, such as She Bangs and Love Shack.

He eventually eliminated in the quarter final, finishing in sixth place after losing the sing-off to fellow category member Mary Byrne.

Wagner, whose hobbies are body building kand karate, goes to the gym six or seven days a week.

In a recording of his interview, Wagner also showed off his impressive new grey beard, revealning it helps him to hide from fans.

He said: ‘It gives me a break, because it takes them a while to spot me if I have only the moustache. Oh, people beep the horn in the cars, and everybody says, Wagner, Wagner, wherever I go, which is lovely. 

And despite being on the cusp of his 70th birthday, the performer showed off his new ripped physique in an interview for FUBAR Radio

The singer was loved for combining classic songs into one memorable performance, such as She Bangs and Love Shack (pictured in 2013)

Despite moving back to his native Brazil , Wagner has now returned to the UK after his attempts to launch a hair transplant business failed (pictured with his two children) 

Read More X Factor legend dies at the age of 64 after working closely with Simon Cowell for eight years

‘But at the same time, as I aged, and I don’t like my neck, although I work out, I thought, this is the best makeup I can have. So, when people then say, are you Wagner? And then I say joking, I’m Wagner’s dad.’

The performer went onto discuss the downfall of The X Factor, with the show shelved by ITV bosses in 2018 in the wake of declining ratings.

He explained: ‘Everybody’s on their phones scrolling, and nobody pays attention to TV anymore. And that’s one of the reasons why the X Factor finished. 

‘Yeah, the other reason was people stopped buying records, and they couldn’t have any prize to offer to the winner anymore. 

‘So, joining the impossibility of offering a substantial prize to a winner and the drop in in viewings. It’s finished. 

‘Nowadays, people might have millions of views on you, on YouTube or on TikTok, but they walk on the streets and nobody recognises them. So what I’ve achieved, well, it can no longer be achieved.’

Wagner and his partner Lydia met in December 2010 at a gig in Dudley, weeks after he was voted out of The X Factor at the quarter-final stage.

Despite their 36-year age gap, the performer insists he isn’t bothered by the different because his ‘spirit doesn’t get old.’

Wagner has continued to perform gigs since his X Factor stint 12 years earlier, and also earned extra income through personalised video messages.

He said that he believes he kickstarted the personalised message craze through sites such as Cameo, after Lydia suggested he start charging fans for clips.

He also revealed that he is still in touch with many former X Factor contestants, including Sam Bailey, Mary Byrne, Rebecca Ferguson and Tracy Cohen, and has even kept a pair of sunglᴀsses given to him by One Direction’s Zayn Malik.