Ben Haenow has been named the winner of The X Factor 2014.

He unexpectedly took the title on tonight’s show, beating bookies’ favourite Fleur East.

Earlier, Mel B thanked the nurses and doctors who cared for her during the illness that saw her miss Saturday night’s show.

X Factor's Mel B.
(Ian West/PA)

The former Spice Girl returned to the judges’ panel tonight after being released from hospital. She said: “I really missed being here but thanks to all the doctors and nurses who took care of me and got me here tonight.”

Asked by host Dermot O’Leary if she was feeling better, Mel said: “Yes – ish.”

Tulisa Contostavlos stood in for her on Saturday’s show, during which her act Andrea Faustini was voted off – leaving Ben Haenow and Fleur East to compete to be named winner of the eleventh series of the ITV show.

Tulisa Contostavlos stood in for the X Factor's Mel B on Saturday night.
(Anthony Devlin/PA)

Mel said: “I was texting all night and he (Andrea) did such a good job. He made the final – I love him.”

It emerged today that the show drew its lowest audience for a decade – and trailed its BBC1 rival Strictly Come Dancing by more than a million viewers.

The ITV show had an average audience of 8.4 million, including those watching on the catch-up +1 channel, which was down 100,000 on the Saturday stage of last year’s finale.

The only time it has fared worse was in 2004 when it pulled in 8.1 million for the first ever final, won by Steve Brookstein. Without the
+1 figures this year, the audiences would be on a par.