X Factor contestant, Matt Cardle, has revealed the personal heartbreak behind his emotional performance on last night's (November 6) X Factor.

The decorator received a standing ovation from all four judges for his rendition of 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face'. Afterwards, on the spin-off show, 'The Xtra Factor', Cardle explained how his mother, Jennifer, had cared for her best friend Sharon's four sons after she died. The track had been Sharon's favourite song. 

Cardle, 27, explained: "My mum's best mate was killed when I was 11 and she had four kids. My mum took on those kids and they absolutely made our family bigger and better."

"The oldest one Julian, his girlfriend, was under similar circumstances and they got married a couple of years ago and I sang that as Kate came into the church. The whole day was one of the most emotional days of my life," he added.

Cardle told Xtra Factor presenter, Konnie Huq, that he was too caught up in the emotions of the song to even notice that all the judges had given him a standing ovation. 

Judge, Louis Walsh, said that Cardle had "absolutely stolen the show". 

The song was written in 1957 by Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seegar, who was to later become his wife. Roberta Flack's version in 1972 entered the mainstream pop charts. 

X Factor continues on our screens tonight on ITV1 at 8:00pm.

Watch Matt Cardle's performance of 'The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face' below: