“When you look at anybody that comes out of [shows like The X Factor], it’s not a foregone conclusion that they’re going to be successful,” admits RCA boss Colin Barlow.

When you think about the select group of acts who have graduated from Simon Cowell’s talent show into a life of enduring fame, Olly Murs immediately comes to mind. The singer has not only become a gem in Sony’s crown but a national treasure in his own right. Not ...