Matt Terry has won X Factor beating Finnish favourite Saara Aalto to the crown

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a pink background.

Saara Aalto has lost out on her chance to win the X Factor crown to her opponent Matt Terry.

Terry sung “Writing’s On The Wall” by Sam Smith while the Finnish pop sensation, who was a favourite to win from the start, sung ‘Oh So Quiet” by Bjork as her favourite.

The Finnish pop sensation, who is a lesbian, was the hot favourite to win from early in the season.

6.4 million people voted in the contest which awards the winner with a deal on a record label and a chance to release a song – which this year was written by Ed Sheeran. A portion of the sales will be donated to the children’s charity, Shooting Star.

Madness and Little Mix also performed in the star studded finale which was held at Wembley Arena.

She was voted through by the public after performing Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants To Rule The World in the semi final.

Rival act 5 After Midnight was voted off in the first half of the two-part final.

Earlier this year Aalto, who previously represented her native Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest, opened up about having a female fiancé.

Last week the X Factor was forced to deny allegations that they had sought to downplay the relationship.

A number of LGBT singers have appeared on the programme in the past.

Camp contestants Bradley and Ottavio were the first to be eliminated from this year’s live shows, having been subjected to weeks of homophobic abuse online.

X Factor chief Simon Cowell was criticised earlier in the series after making a crude gay joke at the expense of co-judge Louis Walsh.

Walsh recently admitted he used to try and keep singers he represented in the closet, often planting fake stories without their knowledge.

He confessed: “I married [Boyzone singer] Stephen Gately off to so many people, because Stephen didn’t want anyone to know he was gay at the start.

“At that time it wasn’t cool to be gay and be in a boyband, because the girls had to like him.”