Britain’s Got Talent has brought joy to millions of viewers over the years and it’s back with its seventh series, but sadly we’ve lost several stars who shot to fame on the show
Britain’s Got Talent has provided tons of magical moments over the years, but sadly we’ve lost several stars of the show.
The ITV talent show first aired in 2007 and has birthed the careers of so many stars, including dance group Diversity, Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle and, last year’s winner Sydnie Christmas, who has now released her debut album, My Way.
We’ve seen so many brave contestants take to the stage and audition in the hopes of impressing Simon Cowell and his fellow judges – in a bid to achieve their dreams of performing. Fans of the show have seen it all, from dancing dogs and magicians to unlikely high-vis sensation Vigo Venn.
But sadly, several of the stars have lost their lives or suffered heartbreaking battles after appearing on the show. Earlier this month, it emerged former contestant Chantel Bellew had died aged just 34, weeks after her birthday.
Chantel Bellew
Dancer Chantel was a 2019 BGT contestant who made it to the quarter-finals and wowed hosts Ant and Dec during her untelevised audition. She had appeared on the UK tour of The Greatest Showman and in a 2016 production of 42nd Street in Paris.
She was just 34 years old when she died in hospital from a suspected overdose. Chantel’s loved ones confirmed her death and set up a GoFundMe page to help her family give her the “send-off she deserves.”
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved Chantel, as we navigate through this incredibly difficult time, we want to honour her life and the beautiful impact she had on everyone who knew her. Chantel was more than a daughter, wife, sister, niece, cousin and friend. She was a kind, loving, and passionate spirit who brought joy and laughter to so many.”
“Chantel was a talent second to none who was the life and soul of every party, I am sure you will agree she was a character that nobody will ever forget.”
Her mother Jill Dawson said her daughter “couldn’t handle life” when her career declined during lockdown and suffered a breakdown before her death.
Describing Chantel as a “ray of sunshine”, she told the The Mirror: “Chantel did the celebrity cruises all over the world and was also teaching dance but it came to an end during lockdown. It affected all the performers. There was a decline in her just before lockdown but it got much worse during lockdown.
“When her career died she couldn’t handle life and had a breakdown. She went for help but there was not the support afterwards. She wasn’t a girl to work in a shop. I told her how to be a barmaid and told her to act like she was on stage.
“Chantel was taken to Bolton hospital last Monday and was blue-lighted to St James in Leeds but on Friday I was told she wasn’t going to make it and she passed away.”
Jack Saunders
Jack appeared on the show in 2019, as a member of five-piece dance group Green Force Five. They made it to the semi-finals before withdrawing from the show due to Jack’s death.
The dancer took his own life at the age of 25 in March of that year. He had already seen success before BGT, having performed at the London Olympics aged just 18 and reached the Got to Dance finals with Unity UK.
“I want people to know this can happen to any family,” said Jack’s heartbroken mum Sandra from Uxbridge, West London. “There is no stereotype – it doesn’t have to be a manic depressive who has shown signs of mental health problems. Jack was a kind soul. He worried about everyone else, always focused on others to make sure they were OK. he was the shoulder you cried on.”
Norma Clarke
Fans loved BGT’s famous granny rapper, Norma, from the 2007 series. The Birmingham contestant rocked up to the audition in style, dressed in a hoodie and baseball cap.
She performed her original song Sam The Rapper, wowing judges Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden and eventually winning over head judge Simon Cowell, making it through to boot camp.
The great-grandmother died aged 81 in hospital in August 2019, following a long illness. Her daughter Amanda wrote: “She was such a character and many people remembered her for her appearance as a rapper on Britain’s Got talent. She entered as she wanted to win the £100,000 prize money to pay for a new community centre for young people on her estate.”
Simonne Kerr
Simonne made it to the BGT finals in 2018 with NHS choir B Positive, a 60-strong group made up of staff, donors, and patients from NHS Blood and Transplant. She worked as a haematology and oncology nurse at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in South London.
Three years before her BGT stint, Simonne faced an unimaginable tragedy when she lost her son Kavele. He was just six when he died from sickle cell disease.
Simonne was brutally killed in August 2018 when she was knifed to death by on-off partner Desmond Sylva. He slashed the 32-year-old’s throat and stabbed her more than 70 times.
In July 2019, he was imprisoned for life for her murder at the Old Bailey in London. The nurse’s colleagues paid tearful tributes to their friend, calling her ‘one in a million’. “She was so funny, she was so smart and she was so, so strong.”
Paula Moulton
In 2012, Paula appeared on BGT with dance duo Strictly Wheels, performing with friend Gary Lyness. The star used a wheelchair after contracting MRSA in hospital with pneumonia, which left her with damage to her pelvis, lower spine, femur and hips.
The duo reached the semi-finals with their routine to Alicia Keys’ Empire State of Mind and in 2016 they competed for Para Dance Sport Team GB. The charity Strictly Wheels was formed the same year, aiming to boost the profile of wheelchair dancing in the UK.
Last June, Paula died unexpectedly in hospital at the age of 52. “Paula always focused on the positive things in life, her disability was never a barrier,” said Gary in an emotional tribute to his dance partner.
“She should be remembered for all the positivity she brought into the many lives she touched. Her passing will leave a huge hole in my personal and dance life and so many others in the wheelchair dance community.”
David Watson
Magician David competed on the show a whopping 12 times. He first appeared back in 2008, where he did impressions of politicians Tony Blair, William Hague, and David Blunkett.
He didn’t succeed, but bounced back in 2010 with an Incredible Hulk routine deemed “bl***y awful” by judge Amanda Holden. David became a regular at BGT auditions, trying out every year since 2013.
The retired NHS worker admitted: “I just love being on the show”. In 2020, he managed to make it through to the second round with his ‘magic rainbow’ act, which the judges called his best yet.
Sadly, David was found dead at home in December 2021 after his worried family contacted the police when they couldn’t get in touch with him. His death was not treated as suspicious.
“He was always up for a laugh and such a good sport,” said Amanda in tribute to the contestant. “We will miss him.”
Robert Anker
Robert Anker shot to fame with Diversity in 2009 and went onto appear on So You Think You Can Dance? and Strictly Come Dancing. The talented dancer from Essex worked with the likes of Jessie J and Paloma Faith and appeared in Thriller Live in the West End.
He began a new life in Canada with his wife Cyndi when tragedy struck less than a year later. In July 2017, Rob was killed in a road accident in Ontario when his car collided with a pick-up truck.
The show dedicated that Friday evening’s performance to him after the horrific accident. They remembered the dancer who “had incredible talent, great personality and was very popular amongst many”.
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