Sam Bailey said her dead father was one of the reasons she won 'The X Factor'.
The 36-year-old star triumphed on the talent show last night (15.12.13) ahead of Scottish runner-up Nicholas McDonald, and she believes her late father Ronnie, who died of mouth cancer in 2008 aged just 58, was watching over her as she clinched victory.
She told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I believe my dad is helping me out and looking over me. I don't think I would have got this far without him. All this is for him.
"I can't believe this, it is a dream come true. One of my biggest worries was people would get complacent and not vote but I did it."
As well as being guided to victory by her late dad, Sam was also helped out by her lucky charm - a bottle of water with "Mrs. Bolton", the surname of her hero Michael Bolton, written on the top.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "Sam is obsessed with Michael Bolton. He is everything she'd love to be.
"She met him in the live show stage and was spellbound. Ever since she has this bizarre ritual before she rehearses. She gets her water bottle, takes out a black pen and writes his name on the top.
"She mouths something like she's talking to his spirit -- then sings.
"The bottle sits in front of her. When she feels like she's not giving it 100 per cent she looks down and sees Bolton's name. It's the most bizarre thing we've seen but it did the trick."
'X Factor' boss Simon Cowell took to Twitter to congratulate the mother-of-two on her victory and praised her performance of winner's single 'Skyscraper', a song originally by Demi Lovato.
Simon tweeted: "Congratulations Sam. We'll deserved. And I love your version of skyscraper. Happy Xmas. Simon. (sic)"
Sam's win was a huge blow to bookmakers, including Paddy Power who paid out £300,000 to lucky punters who backed her and took 1,500 bets on her during last night's final alone, including one for £6,000 just before 9pm when she was priced at 1/7.
Sam's version of 'Skyscraper' is available to download now and the CD is available to buy from Wednesday (18.12.13).
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