There are many people who dismiss the X Factor as a cynical exercise in manipulating the music-buying public into spending cash en masse on conveyor belt pop-stars plucked from obscurity to line the pockets of impresario Simon Cowell.

But, today at least, we are happy to dismiss those people as being of the same “Bah, Humbug” stripe as a certain Ebenezer Scrooge.

For all its faults, the X Factor has a uniting quality that is both hard to find and rather welcome in these straitened times.

And we would like to extend our congratulations to our very own Zayn Malik for his phenomenal progress in the latest X Factor series.

Zayn has gone from shy Bradford schoolboy to national treasure in just a few short weeks, as part of the band One Direction.

One Direction’s – and Zayn’s – future is now assured. But it has not been an easy ride. Anyone who thinks it has should consider the fact that Zayn has stood up, week in week out, on national television in front of some of the country’s biggest telly audiences, and sung his heart out.

He’s the latest Bradfordian to find success on a TV talent show, joining Gareth Gates and Kimberley Walsh in assured fame – for a while, at least.

We hope you’ll join us in being delighted for Zayn as he has his moment in the spotlight, despite his band’s failure to win last night. However you cut it, and whatever you think of X Factor, there’s no denying that Zayn – and all the contestants – worked their hardest to get to the final. There are no losers really for those who made it so far.