I came second on a huge reality TV show and sold five million albums – before quitting to launch politics career

HE'S one of the biggest selling artists in American Idol history and has released six albums.

Clay Aiken, who finished runner-up in the second season of the hit show in 2003, has shifted more than five million records and has enjoyed a successful stage and TV career, too.

The multi-talented star, who worked in special education before Idol, has always had an interest in politics, one of his heroes is President Jimmy Carter, so his switch to a political career wasn't entirely unexpected.

In 2014, Clay, 44, ran for Congress in North Carolina. Clay won the Democratic primary but ultimately lost out to Republican incumbent Renee Ellmers in the voting booths.

Last year he had another crack of the whip, same state, different district, but, on that occasion, he failed to win the Democratic primary.

The openly gay star has spoken out in support for LGBTQ rights after coming out in 2008, but has repeatedly stated he does not want to be considered a single issue campaigner.

For nine years, he was a Unicef ambassador working to improve the plight of disadvantaged children around the world with the aim of enabling all children to receive a primary education.

The philanthropist also co-founded the National Inclusion Project which aims to help children with disabilities integrate into non-disabled environments.

Clay was voted the nation's most-loved reality star in 2003 and that popularity only grew following the release of his hit memoir Learning to Sing in 2004.

The same year he had a televised Christmas special to coincide with the release of his Christmas album.

He went on to grace the stages of Broadway starring in Monty Python's Spamalot and in 2012 he finished second on The Celebrity Apprentice.