Ray Quinn
Encyclopedia
Raymond Arthur "Ray" Quinn (born 25 August 1988 in Liverpool
, Merseyside
) is an English actor, singer, and dancer. He finished second in talent show The X Factor
in 2006, and won the 2009 series of Dancing on Ice
. He also appeared as victimised teenager Anthony Murray in the Channel 4
soap opera Brookside
. In his theatre performance, as of December 2010, he announced on stage his engagement to Emma Stephens which was made on Christmas Day 2010.
Quinn went on to study Performing Arts at Merseyside Dance and Drama College for a three-year course where he completed two years before joining the X Factor finals.
.
Quinn was in the 16–24s category which was mentored by Simon Cowell
. As the category's mentor, Cowell chose which contestants made it to the live rounds of the show. Initially, Quinn did not make Cowell's selection of seven contestants for the later stages of the competition, but Cowell subsequently “felt he had made a mistake”. It was then decided that the seven should be expanded to eight, and Quinn was called back. Quinn went on to be chosen as one of Cowell's final four contestants who would appear in the live rounds of the competition.
Many of Quinn's X Factor performances had an old-fashioned feel, and in the earlier stages of the competition he was criticised by judge Louis Walsh
for repeatedly performing swing-style numbers. Judge Sharon Osbourne
once referred to him as "panto boy" and the judges generally queried his ability as a pure singer as opposed to a "song-and-dance man".
For the first four weeks of the series Quinn survived in the contest without being in the bottom two sing-off. In week five, however, Quinn, along with Nikitta Angus, polled the fewest votes from the public. Walsh voted for Quinn to leave the competition, but Cowell and Osbourne voted in Quinn's favour, keeping him in the contest. Quinn then survived the next four weeks, eventually narrowly finishing as runner-up to Leona Lewis
.
Following the conclusion of the show, Quinn participated in The X Factor UK and Ireland Tour with the other finalists from the third series. This took place in February and March 2007.
Quinn was associated with fellow third-series finalists Eton Road prior to the auditions.
His self-titled debut album Doing It My Way was released on 12 March 2007, the same day as that of fellow The X Factor finalist Ben Mills
. The album went straight to number one in the UK charts. It also went Gold in the first week.
Quinn embarked on his own solo tour from September to November 2007.
Quinn was subsequently dropped by his record label, on 6 November 2007.
In November 2007, Quinn recorded a cover of the song "You to Me Are Everything" for the album Liverpool: Number Ones Album and in January 2008, he performed at the Number One Project concert at the Echo Arena, Liverpool.
of British TV contest Dancing On Ice
, which began on 11 January 2009. He was partnered by professional ice skater Maria Filippov
. His decision to take part generated a small amount of (local) controversy, as he suddenly dropped out of the pantomime in which he was supposed to be performing, mid-run, in order to prepare for the TV show. This left many school-children upset, especially when the panto closed early, a few days after he left. In every week (excluding week two, which featured the girls only) on Dancing On Ice, he topped the leaderboard. In his sixth week he scored the maximum 30. Quinn was announced winner of Dancing on Ice 2009 after receiving a perfect score of 60/60. He joined the other contestants and toured the country on the Dancing On Ice Tour.
On Sunday 21 June 2009 Quinn took part in an edition of All Star Family Fortunes which was broadcast on ITV1 in the Autumn of 2009.
He appeared on the first programme of the 2010 edition of Dancing on Ice as current Champion and also performed a skating routine with his former skating partner from the show.
Quinn took part in Sing If You Can
, appearing in episode 3 with his team called Skywalker with captain Darren Gough
and Camilla Kerslake
. They won the show, which raised money for Teenage Cancer Trust. His team also appeared in the final again winning and becoming the first champions of Sing If You Can.
2004
2008
2009
2010
Dirty Dancing, Billy Kosteki
2011
Dirty Dancing, Billy Kosteki
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
) is an English actor, singer, and dancer. He finished second in talent show The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
in 2006, and won the 2009 series of Dancing on Ice
Dancing on Ice (Series 4)
The fourth series of Dancing on Ice began on ITV on Sunday 11 January 2009. The series features legendary skaters Christopher Dean and Jayne Torvill, presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and judges Karen Barber, Nicky Slater, Jason Gardiner, Ruthie Henshall and Robin Cousins.The...
. He also appeared as victimised teenager Anthony Murray in the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
soap opera Brookside
Brookside
Brookside is a defunct British soap opera set in Liverpool, England. The series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982, and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003...
. In his theatre performance, as of December 2010, he announced on stage his engagement to Emma Stephens which was made on Christmas Day 2010.
Early life
Quinn attended Rudston Junior School in Childwall and Gateacre Comprehensive School, Liverpool. From a very young age a major influence in his life was his dance coach Suzanne Taylor. Quinn often claims that his interests in dancing led to him being isolated from his peers during his childhood.Quinn went on to study Performing Arts at Merseyside Dance and Drama College for a three-year course where he completed two years before joining the X Factor finals.
The X Factor (2006)
In 2006, Quinn took part in the third series of UK talent show The X FactorThe X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
.
Quinn was in the 16–24s category which was mentored by Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
. As the category's mentor, Cowell chose which contestants made it to the live rounds of the show. Initially, Quinn did not make Cowell's selection of seven contestants for the later stages of the competition, but Cowell subsequently “felt he had made a mistake”. It was then decided that the seven should be expanded to eight, and Quinn was called back. Quinn went on to be chosen as one of Cowell's final four contestants who would appear in the live rounds of the competition.
Many of Quinn's X Factor performances had an old-fashioned feel, and in the earlier stages of the competition he was criticised by judge Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
for repeatedly performing swing-style numbers. Judge Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Rachel Osbourne is an English television host, author, music manager, businesswoman and promoter as well as the wife of heavy metal singer-songwriter Ozzy Osbourne....
once referred to him as "panto boy" and the judges generally queried his ability as a pure singer as opposed to a "song-and-dance man".
For the first four weeks of the series Quinn survived in the contest without being in the bottom two sing-off. In week five, however, Quinn, along with Nikitta Angus, polled the fewest votes from the public. Walsh voted for Quinn to leave the competition, but Cowell and Osbourne voted in Quinn's favour, keeping him in the contest. Quinn then survived the next four weeks, eventually narrowly finishing as runner-up to Leona Lewis
Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor....
.
Following the conclusion of the show, Quinn participated in The X Factor UK and Ireland Tour with the other finalists from the third series. This took place in February and March 2007.
Quinn was associated with fellow third-series finalists Eton Road prior to the auditions.
Post X Factor
After The X Factor, Quinn was signed by Sony BMG and on 16 January 2007 recorded a swing album at the Capitol Records Tower in Los Angeles.His self-titled debut album Doing It My Way was released on 12 March 2007, the same day as that of fellow The X Factor finalist Ben Mills
Ben Mills
Benjamin Collett Mills is a British singer who finished in third place in the third UK series of TV talent show The X Factor in 2006. He signed a five-album record deal with Sony BMG. His album, Picture of You, was released on 12 March 2007, the same date as the debut album from The X Factor...
. The album went straight to number one in the UK charts. It also went Gold in the first week.
Quinn embarked on his own solo tour from September to November 2007.
Quinn was subsequently dropped by his record label, on 6 November 2007.
In November 2007, Quinn recorded a cover of the song "You to Me Are Everything" for the album Liverpool: Number Ones Album and in January 2008, he performed at the Number One Project concert at the Echo Arena, Liverpool.
Television appearances
Quinn won the fourth seriesDancing on Ice (Series 4)
The fourth series of Dancing on Ice began on ITV on Sunday 11 January 2009. The series features legendary skaters Christopher Dean and Jayne Torvill, presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and judges Karen Barber, Nicky Slater, Jason Gardiner, Ruthie Henshall and Robin Cousins.The...
of British TV contest Dancing On Ice
Dancing on Ice (UK)
Dancing on Ice is a British television show co-hosted by Christine Bleakley and Philip Schofield, in which celebrities and their professional partners figure skate in front of a panel of judges. The format, devised by LWT and Granada Television, has been a prime-time hit in eight different...
, which began on 11 January 2009. He was partnered by professional ice skater Maria Filippov
Maria Filippov
Maria Filippov is a Bulgarian ice skater.-Career:As Maria Hadjiiska, she was a member of the Bulgarian national ice dancing team from 1988 to 1992 and her country's national ice dance champion in 1990-1991...
. His decision to take part generated a small amount of (local) controversy, as he suddenly dropped out of the pantomime in which he was supposed to be performing, mid-run, in order to prepare for the TV show. This left many school-children upset, especially when the panto closed early, a few days after he left. In every week (excluding week two, which featured the girls only) on Dancing On Ice, he topped the leaderboard. In his sixth week he scored the maximum 30. Quinn was announced winner of Dancing on Ice 2009 after receiving a perfect score of 60/60. He joined the other contestants and toured the country on the Dancing On Ice Tour.
On Sunday 21 June 2009 Quinn took part in an edition of All Star Family Fortunes which was broadcast on ITV1 in the Autumn of 2009.
He appeared on the first programme of the 2010 edition of Dancing on Ice as current Champion and also performed a skating routine with his former skating partner from the show.
Quinn took part in Sing If You Can
Sing If You Can
Sing If You Can is an ITV1 game show which features celebrities attempting to sing in front of a live studio audience whilst various attempts are made to disrupt their performances. It is presented by Keith Lemon and Stacey Solomon, though originally Vernon Kay was scheduled to host, but he felt...
, appearing in episode 3 with his team called Skywalker with captain Darren Gough
Darren Gough
Darren Gough is a retired English cricketer and former captain of Yorkshire County Cricket Club. The spearhead of England's bowling attack through much of the 1990s, he is England's highest wicket-taker in one-day internationals with 234, and took 229 wickets in his 58 Test matches, making him...
and Camilla Kerslake
Camilla Kerslake
Camilla Kerslake is an English classical crossover singer from London who has become the first signing to Gary Barlow’s new record label...
. They won the show, which raised money for Teenage Cancer Trust. His team also appeared in the final again winning and becoming the first champions of Sing If You Can.
Film and television
- BrooksideBrooksideBrookside is a defunct British soap opera set in Liverpool, England. The series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982, and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003...
, "Anthony Murray" (2000–2003) - MerseybeatMerseybeat (TV series)Merseybeat is a British police procedural television series shown on BBC One, with a total of four series broadcast between 2001 and 2004. The series follows the personal and professional lives of one shift of police officers from the fictional Newton Park police station on Merseyside, England.In...
(2003) - Doctors, "Owen Miller" (2006)
- The Afternoon PlayThe Afternoon PlayThe Afternoon Play is a series of individual plays which sometimes appear on BBC One during weekday afternoons. The first series began on 27 January 2003, and as of 2008 there have been five series...
, "John Reilly" (2005) - BulletproofBulletproofBulletproofing is the process of making something capable of stopping a bullet or similar high velocity projectiles e.g. shrapnel. The term bullet resistance is often preferred because few, if any, practical materials provide complete protection against all types of bullets, or multiple hits in the...
, "Ben" (2006) short film, Cannes Film Festival (France) - Cactus JackCactus JackCactus Jack may refer to:* Cactus Jack, Serbian hard rock band* The UK and Australian release name of the 1979 movie The Villain, starring Kirk Douglas as Cactus Jack.* A ring name of professional wrestler Mick Foley...
, "John" (2005) short film, BBC
Theatre
1998- Me and My GirlMe and My GirlMe and My Girl is a musical with book and lyrics by Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose and music by Noel Gay. It takes place in the late 1930s in Hampshire, Mayfair, and Lambeth....
, dancer – Empire TheatreLiverpool Empire TheatreLiverpool Empire Theatre is located on the corner of Lime Street and London Road in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. The theatre is the second to be built on the site, and was opened in 1925. It has the largest two-tier auditorium in Britain and can seat 2,350 people...
, Liverpool - Peter PanPeter and WendyPeter and Wendy, published in 1911, is the novelisation by J. M. Barrie of his most famous play Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up...
, dancer, actor and singer (Lost Boy) – Neptune TheatreNeptune TheatreThe Neptune Theatre, built in 1913, is one of many theatres in Liverpool, England. It has been threatened with closure several times, and is currently not in use. The theatre seats 445 on its two levels.-History:...
, Liverpool
2004
- BusterBuster-Works:* Buster , a film starring Phil Collins** Buster , the soundtrack to the film* "Buster", theme song by Nanna Lüders Jensen for the Danish television show Busters verden-Characters and mascots:...
, actor – Harlow Playhouse
2008
- GreaseGrease (musical)Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
, dancer, actor and singer (Doody) – Piccadilly TheatrePiccadilly TheatreThe Piccadilly Theatre is a West End theatre located at 16 Denman Street, behind Piccadilly Circus and adjacent to the Regent Palace Hotel, in the City of Westminster, England.-Early years:Built by Bertie Crewe and Edward A...
, London
- Aladdin, Aladdin – Broadway Theatre, PeterboroughPeterboroughPeterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
2009
- GreaseGrease (musical)Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
, dancer, actor and singer (Danny Zuko) - Sleeping Beauty (Pantomime) (Prince Daniel)
2010
Dirty Dancing, Billy Kosteki
- Top Hat at the Palladium,18 July 2010 - Personal appearance for Top Hat Stage School to raise awareness for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
- Jack and the BeanstalkJack and the BeanstalkJack and the Beanstalk is a folktale said by English historian Francis Palgrave to be an oral legend that arrived in England with the Vikings. The tale is closely associated with the tale of Jack the Giant-killer. It is known under a number of versions...
, dancer, actor and singer (Jack Trott) - Royal & Derngate, Northampton
2011
Dirty Dancing, Billy Kosteki
Radio
- The Lost Boys – Narrator of book for Big Toe Radio, September 2004
- Millions – Narrator of the film for Big Toe Radio, November 2004
- The Believers - Actor playing part of James, April 2010
Discography
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
IRE Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
|||
| 2007 | Doing It My Way
|
1 | 6 |
|
Awards
- 2002 – Best Dramatic Performance, The British Soap Awards
- 2002 – Best Storyline, The British Soap Awards
- 2002 – Best Young Actor, Inside Soap Awards
- 2002 – Best Performance in a Network Soap, Royal TV Society
- 2005 – Manchester Talent Competition – £5000 prize
- 2007 – Scouseology Award, Best Personality
- 2007 – Liverpool Local Hero Awards, Contribution to Music