# Jake Quickenden
**Jake Quickenden** (Jacob Quickenden) is an English singer, television personality, and former footballer from [Scunthorpe](https://www.edgepedia.org/scunthorpe), North Lincolnshire, known for his appearances on *The X Factor* (2012 and 2014), finishing runner-up on *I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!* in 2014, and winning *Dancing on Ice* in 2018.[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Jacob Quickenden, 1988, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, England[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/) |
| Football career | Youth player for Scunthorpe United, then two years professionally in Australia with Sunshine George Cross; later Frickley Athletic, Bottesford Town, and Ossett Town[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/) |
| *The X Factor* | Ninth series (2012), eliminated at judges' houses; eleventh series (2014), reached the live shows and was voted off in week 3[2](https://www.teenstarcompetition.co.uk/judges/jake-quickenden/) |
| *I'm a Celebrity* | Entered series 14 on Day 5 with Edwina Currie; exited Day 23 as runner-up to Carl Fogarty[3](https://imaceleb.fandom.com/wiki/Jake_Quickenden) |
| *Dancing on Ice* | Winner of the tenth series in 2018, partnered with professional German figure skater Vanessa Bauer[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/) |
| Music releases | EP *I Want You* (9 August 2015) and EP *New Chapter* (1 April 2016)[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/) |
| Personal life | Married to Sophie Church since 2022, with two children[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5247452/) |
## Early life and football
Quickenden was born in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, and began his career in football, playing primarily as a winger or forward. He was a youth player for Scunthorpe United, but sustained a broken leg during that period. After recovering, he played professionally in Australia for two years with clubs including Sunshine George Cross.[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/)
After returning to England, he continued in non-league football, playing for Frickley Athletic in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League in 2012–2013 and Bottesford Town in the Northern Counties East Football League in 2013–2015, and joining Ossett Town in 2017.[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/)
## The X Factor
**First audition, 2012.** Quickenden began his media career in 2012 by appearing on the ninth series of *The X Factor*. He reached the judges' houses stage in the Boys category under mentor [Nicole Scherzinger](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicole-scherzinger) but was not selected for the live shows.[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/) • [2](https://www.teenstarcompetition.co.uk/judges/jake-quickenden/)
**Return in 2014.** He returned for the eleventh series in 2014, again in the Boys category, this time mentored by [Mel B](https://www.edgepedia.org/mel-b), who put him through to the live shows at judges' houses.[2](https://www.teenstarcompetition.co.uk/judges/jake-quickenden/) During movie week he performed "She's Like the Wind" from *Dirty Dancing*, a performance the judges criticized; [Simon Cowell](https://www.edgepedia.org/simon-cowell) said it was unlikely he would survive another week.[5](https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/story/2014-10-26/x-factor-2014-jack-and-jakes-live-show-journey/) He was voted into the bottom two by the public and, in the sing-off, performed "Red" by Daniel Merriweather against the four-piece band Only The Young, who performed "The Winner Takes It All". Mel B and [Louis Walsh](https://www.edgepedia.org/louis-walsh) voted to save their own acts, while Simon Cowell and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini voted to keep Only The Young, eliminating Quickenden as the fourth contestant to leave the 2014 series.[6](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/x-factor-2014-results-jake-quickenden-sent-home-after-sing-off-with-only-the-young-9819796.html) His mentor Mel B was left in tears after losing her first act of the series.[7](https://www.itv.com/news/2014-10-26/mel-b-in-tears-as-jake-quickenden-leaves-the-x-factor)
## I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
Within days of his *X Factor* elimination, Quickenden joined the fourteenth series of *I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!* He entered the camp on [Day 5](https://www.edgepedia.org/day-5), on 20 November 2014, alongside the former Conservative MP Edwina Currie, as a late replacement after [Gemma Collins](https://www.edgepedia.org/gemma-collins) quit the show after three days.[8](https://www.itv.com/news/2014-11-20/x-factors-jake-quickenden-and-edwina-currie-to-enter-the-im-a-celebrity-get-me-out-of-here-jungle)
His trials included the Critter Cube (10/10 stars), Down the Chain with [Carl Fogarty](https://www.edgepedia.org/carl-fogarty), Celebrity Cyclone with Edwina, Foggy, and [Melanie Sykes](https://www.edgepedia.org/melanie-sykes), and Fill Your Face; he won stars in all four of his trials.[3](https://imaceleb.fandom.com/wiki/Jake_Quickenden) He reached the final two and finished as runner-up to motorbike racer Carl "Foggy" Fogarty, ahead of better-known campmates including Michael Buerk, Melanie Sykes, and [Edwina Currie](https://www.edgepedia.org/edwina-currie), exiting on Day 23.[9](https://www.itv.com/imacelebrity/articles/jake-quickenden-is-your-runner-up) • [3](https://imaceleb.fandom.com/wiki/Jake_Quickenden) Speaking afterwards on *This Morning*, he said he had lost a stone in weight during his time in the jungle and described his friendship with Currie.[10](https://www.itv.com/thismorning/articles/jake-quickenden-im-a-celeb-x-factor)
## Television and music career
Following his reality television exposure, Quickenden co-hosted *The Chart Show TV* and appeared as a regular presenter on *This Morning* and on *Big Brother's Bit on the Side*; he also undertook his own live UK tours in 2015 and 2016.[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/) • [11](https://www.garston-entertainment.co.uk/artist/1742/Jake-Quickenden/videos?YTvideo=true) He released the EP *I Want You* in August 2015 and *New Chapter* in April 2016.[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/)
**Dancing on Ice.** In 2018, Quickenden competed in the tenth series of *Dancing on Ice*, partnered with German professional figure skater Vanessa Bauer. He and Bauer won the competition on 11 March 2018, ahead of [Brooke Vincent](https://www.edgepedia.org/brooke-vincent) and Max Evans.[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/) • [3](https://imaceleb.fandom.com/wiki/Jake_Quickenden)
His other television work includes a guest role as Woody in three episodes of *Hollyoaks* in 2019, an appearance on *Ninja Warrior UK* the same year, *The Real Full Monty on Ice* in 2020, *Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins* in 2021, *Celebrity MasterChef* in 2024, and the reality series *Retreat Yourself* and *Celebrity Bumps: Famous & Pregnant*.[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5247452/) • [12](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/66091/jake-quickenden)
## Stage career
Quickenden has built a substantial theater resume on UK national tours. He joined the theatrical production "Dreamboys" and "Hair: The Musical" in 2019 and 2020 respectively.[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/) In 2022 he toured the UK in the starring role of Willard in *Footloose: The Musical*, produced by Selladoor, from February to the end of July.[13](https://www.industryliveagency.com/jake-quickenden-1/) He also appeared in *Friendsical* and played Guy in a national tour of *The Full Monty*, the stage play celebrating 25 years of Simon Beaufoy's film, and starred as Bob in the UK tour of *Rita, Sue and Bob Too!*.[13](https://www.industryliveagency.com/jake-quickenden-1/) • [14](https://www.intertalentgroup.com/client/jake-quickenden/?aid=31909)
## Personal life
Quickenden married Sophie Church in 2022; the couple have two children, including a son named Leo.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5247452/)
## References
1. [Jake Quickenden | Booking Agent | MN2S](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/jake-quickenden/)
2. [Jake Quickenden – TeenStar](https://www.teenstarcompetition.co.uk/judges/jake-quickenden/)
3. [Jake Quickenden | I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Wiki](https://imaceleb.fandom.com/wiki/Jake_Quickenden)
4. [Jake Quickenden – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5247452/)
5. [X Factor 2014: Jack and Jake's live show journey – ITV News](https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/story/2014-10-26/x-factor-2014-jack-and-jakes-live-show-journey/)
6. [X Factor 2014: Jake Quickenden voted off after Only The Young sing off – The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/x-factor-2014-results-jake-quickenden-sent-home-after-sing-off-with-only-the-young-9819796.html)
7. [Mel B in tears as Jake Quickenden leaves The X Factor – ITV News](https://www.itv.com/news/2014-10-26/mel-b-in-tears-as-jake-quickenden-leaves-the-x-factor)
8. [X Factor's Jake Quickenden and Edwina Currie to enter the I'm A Celebrity jungle – ITV News](https://www.itv.com/news/2014-11-20/x-factors-jake-quickenden-and-edwina-currie-to-enter-the-im-a-celebrity-get-me-out-of-here-jungle)
9. [Jake Quickenden is your runner-up – ITV](https://www.itv.com/imacelebrity/articles/jake-quickenden-is-your-runner-up)
10. [Jake Quickenden says Jimmy's not a bully – This Morning](https://www.itv.com/thismorning/articles/jake-quickenden-im-a-celeb-x-factor)
11. [Jake Quickenden | Singer As Seen On The X Factor – Garston Entertainment](https://www.garston-entertainment.co.uk/artist/1742/Jake-Quickenden/videos?YTvideo=true)
12. [Jake Quickenden | TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/66091/jake-quickenden)
13. [Jake Quickenden – Industry Live Agency](https://www.industryliveagency.com/jake-quickenden-1/)
14. [Jake Quickenden - InterTalent](https://www.intertalentgroup.com/client/jake-quickenden/?aid=31909)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Reality and competition franchise editions › X Factor franchise (The X Factor, Factor X)*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license