Olly Murs has insisted he was "massively proud" to make the X Factor final, despite coming second to Joe McElderry.
The 25-year-old from Colchester appeared to take the result well, smiling and hugging Joe and his mentor Cheryl Cole after Dermot O'Leary made the announcement.
He also took the opportunity to congratulate Joe on his success, telling Dermot: "Joe has been phenomenal every week - he deserves it."
And he later told Holly Willoughby on The Xtra Factor: "I gave everything tonight like I have done every week.
"I've had an absolutely wonderful three months on the show. I've really enjoyed it tonight, regardless of what happened. I did the best I could."
He also said he recognised how far he had come from his nine-to-five job to singing in front of millions of fans, and duetting with Robbie Williams, who attempted to round up support for Olly after their performance by exclaiming: "Come On Olly!"
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Olly said tonight: "I'm absolutely fine, three months ago I was working in an office and now I'm singing in front of millions."
And he laughed: "I'm friends with Robbie Williams and Simon Cowell has been brilliant."
On The Xtra Factor, it was revealed that all the judges and presenters had picked out Olly as the winner during the boot camp stage of the competition - bar Dannii Minogue, who chose Nicole Lawrence, who never made it to the final 12.
Simon Cowell also rejected a claim from a caller that the winners' single - the Miley Cyrus ballad The Climb - was tailored for Joe.
"When we record the songs we try them out with the (final) five contestants," explained Simon. "Olly was comfortable with the song."
He said that both finalists performed the track equally well.
"I thought Olly's version was really, really good," said Simon. "If you want my honest opinion, I think they were both as good as each other."
And winning mentor Cheryl seemed to agree.
"I've never seem Olly as comfortable," she said. "He can actually really sing - he proved that tonight."
Olly also received support from last year's runners-up JLS, who have gone on to achieve two No 1 singles and a chart-topping album.
"I think the public have definitely taken to him," said Oritse Williams. "He's a great performer, he's a great entertainer - he's going to have an amazing career."
Bandmate JB Gill agreed, saying: "He just needs to get his head down and work hard."
Olly said he hoped that he could follow JLS and the likes of Britain's Got Talent's Susan Boyle in carving out a successful career despite not winning the talent show.
"It just proves you don't have to win the show to be successful," he said.
Simon added that Olly could be successful if he applied himself and worked hard.
"It's a question of believing in yourself - and that's what I saw tonight," Simon said of Olly's performance. "We knew Joe was the bookies' favourite... it's all about self belief. If you look at Beyonce for example, she has steel in her eyes - artists make it happen themselves."
And Olly credited Simon with his growing confidence over the course of the series.
"As Simon said from the start, I didn't really believe in myself," said Olly, adding that Simon boosted his confidence week by week.
He said: "That's why I gave it everything I had (tonight)."
Olly became an instant favourite to reach the final with a rendition of Stevie Wonder's Superstition in hid first audition.
Giving his seal of approval, Simon remarked that it was "the easiest 'yes' I have ever given".
Viewers soon became familiar with his cheeky grin and distinctive dancing, dubbing his moves the "Olly wiggle".
The superlatives from judges came thick and fast - yet Olly still came close to a shock departure in week seven when, after the public vote, he was left in the bottom two with twins John and Edward Grimes.
Fortunately for Olly, three out of the four judges voted to save him.
He has since bounced back to popularity and, after missing his brother's wedding under Simon's advice, he won through to the final three, bursting into tears as the public vote was read out.
Recently Olly thanked his pub landlord for inspiring him to follow his singing dreams.
He told the Sun: "I put my success in this competition down to the fact that I have always believed in myself. I would never say I was the best singer of the series, but I would say I was one of the best performers."
