Reality TV winner Leona Lewis has become the first British female artist to top the US Billboard charts in over 20 years.

The singer’s debut single Bleeding Love has spent six weeks on the US chart before it climbed to number one earlier this week.

It caps a phenomenal rise to stardom for Lewis, who won the reality TV show X-Factor in 2007.

Bleeding Love was the biggest selling single in the UK last year, spending four weeks at the top of the charts.

The last British female to top the charts stateside was Kim Wilde in 1987 with a cover of the Supremes You Keep Me Hangin' On.

Despite her huge success, Lewis has yet to commit to any tour, with live dates planned for 2009.

Yesterday, Entertainmentwise reported that Leona is to have surgery to end bouts of tonsilitis.