Does it always end in tears for BGT kids? With more child finalists than ever, will they be traumatised - or crying all the way to the bank? We asked the little stars of yesteryear
When the live final of Britain’s Got
Talent begins tomorrow evening, an estimated 15 million viewers, many of
them children, will tune in to see who wins the £250,000 prize and the
chance to perform in front of royalty.
But it is the children taking part — a record five acts — who have made the show so compelling. For the first time in the programme’s seven-year history, as many child acts as adult ones have been voted through to the final. Ranging from five to 14, this year’s entrants — who include cerebral palsy sufferer and comedian Jack Carroll, 14 — have sparked a furious debate about the perils of putting youngsters on the stage. So far, Arisxandra Libantino, 11, and one of the members of dance troupe Pre Skool (aged five to eight) have succumbed to tears.
But it was the gulping sobs of Hollie Steel, ten, dressed like a ballerina, who broke down during her semi-final performance in 2009, which are forever imprinted on the psyche of the nation. And it was those images which prompted Sir Bruce Forsyth, who entered showbusiness at the age of 14, to wade into the debate. ‘What I couldn’t get out of my mind was that poor little girl,’ he said last week. ‘She was emotionally drained — it was upsetting television.’
Sir Bruce called for youngsters to be given their own show and excluded from the main programme. Other adults have voiced their concerns too, from MPs and teachers, to stars and parents. The shadow of Lena Zavaroni — a former winner of Opportunity Knocks and the first reality child star to die prematurely at 35 after years spent battling anorexia — has hung over the debate.
But what of Hollie Steel, the sweet-faced singer who memorably asked to sing Edelweiss again after messing it up the first time and was labelled both ‘a brat’ by internet trolls and ‘officially the bravest girl in the world’ by Simon Cowell?
We tracked her down and asked her to give her side of the story gripping the nation. Now four years on, many will be surprised by her conclusions.
Sitting in front of me with a big toothy smile on her face she looks anything but damaged. Aged 14, open and extremely sweet, she is now a star pupil at the famous Sylvia Young drama school.
And far from regretting that appearance on BGT, she says it is the fame the show accorded her which has allowed her to finance herself through drama school.
After her semi-final blip, she went on to give a sterling performance in the final with Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again from Phantom of the Opera and came in sixth behind winners Diversity and runner-up Susan Boyle.
So how does she feel about the
suggestion children should be banned from the show? ‘Bruce Forsyth
should get his facts straight,’ she says. ‘He has made a big deal out of
something that was meaningless.
‘I was a perfectionist and I cried because I had got it wrong and wanted to do it again. I was angry with myself for doing it wrong and I stopped singing because I didn’t know at the time that you had to carry on. I wasn’t thinking about the millions watching me.
‘Being on the show never felt like too much pressure; my over-riding memory was of what an exciting time it was. I was only sad when it was over.
‘When I came off stage in the final I was jumping for joy. That’s why it annoys me when people point to me and say children shouldn’t be on BGT. Don’t punish all the other children who want to perform because of my mistake.
‘I used to be shy but being in front
of a huge audience helped me. Before I went on the show I had just done
small theatres playing Annie. But at my first audition for the TV show
hundreds of people stood up to cheer for me.
‘Being on BGT changed my life for the better. It was through that show I discovered my classical voice — up until then I had only sung pop songs — and now I have the highest child singing range that is known.’
She admits before her semi-final performance she was nervous for the first time in her life. ‘Everyone was pitting me against Susan Boyle and I felt I had something to prove to the girls at school who said I had a rubbish voice. I was offered a counsellor but didn’t really tell anyone how I was feeling. I didn’t want everyone to make a fuss.
‘When I got on stage the nerves kicked in. And when I get nervous I gulp when I sing. I gulped seven times and it ruined the song. Now I know I should have carried on singing but I panicked and burst out crying. I felt like I had ruined everything and I was angry with myself.
‘I wanted to do it again and at first they said I couldn’t. But then they let me; and when I did it was fine. After that I was just focused on the final. We went to Boots and I got Rescue Remedy which is a herbal thing you put on your tongue. When I walked on stage I was nervous, but then I didn’t go wrong and by the chorus I was so into it that when I came off stage I felt empowered. It was really cool .
But it is the children taking part — a record five acts — who have made the show so compelling. For the first time in the programme’s seven-year history, as many child acts as adult ones have been voted through to the final. Ranging from five to 14, this year’s entrants — who include cerebral palsy sufferer and comedian Jack Carroll, 14 — have sparked a furious debate about the perils of putting youngsters on the stage. So far, Arisxandra Libantino, 11, and one of the members of dance troupe Pre Skool (aged five to eight) have succumbed to tears.
But it was the gulping sobs of Hollie Steel, ten, dressed like a ballerina, who broke down during her semi-final performance in 2009, which are forever imprinted on the psyche of the nation. And it was those images which prompted Sir Bruce Forsyth, who entered showbusiness at the age of 14, to wade into the debate. ‘What I couldn’t get out of my mind was that poor little girl,’ he said last week. ‘She was emotionally drained — it was upsetting television.’
Sir Bruce called for youngsters to be given their own show and excluded from the main programme. Other adults have voiced their concerns too, from MPs and teachers, to stars and parents. The shadow of Lena Zavaroni — a former winner of Opportunity Knocks and the first reality child star to die prematurely at 35 after years spent battling anorexia — has hung over the debate.
But what of Hollie Steel, the sweet-faced singer who memorably asked to sing Edelweiss again after messing it up the first time and was labelled both ‘a brat’ by internet trolls and ‘officially the bravest girl in the world’ by Simon Cowell?
More...
- 'I'd have a threesome': Simon Cowell admits he'd like to take Katie Price and her BGT impersonator Francine to bed
- 'I wouldn't be alive today' Simon Cowell confesses that the pressure of stardom would have killed him if he was a child star
- So good it made Simon Cowell cry: Shadow theatre group Attraction win the final BGT semi-final... as singer Jordan O'Keefe also gets through
We tracked her down and asked her to give her side of the story gripping the nation. Now four years on, many will be surprised by her conclusions.
Sitting in front of me with a big toothy smile on her face she looks anything but damaged. Aged 14, open and extremely sweet, she is now a star pupil at the famous Sylvia Young drama school.
And far from regretting that appearance on BGT, she says it is the fame the show accorded her which has allowed her to finance herself through drama school.
After her semi-final blip, she went on to give a sterling performance in the final with Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again from Phantom of the Opera and came in sixth behind winners Diversity and runner-up Susan Boyle.
'Officially the bravest girl in the world': Hollie pictured breaking down in tears halfway through her song
‘I was a perfectionist and I cried because I had got it wrong and wanted to do it again. I was angry with myself for doing it wrong and I stopped singing because I didn’t know at the time that you had to carry on. I wasn’t thinking about the millions watching me.
‘Being on the show never felt like too much pressure; my over-riding memory was of what an exciting time it was. I was only sad when it was over.
‘When I came off stage in the final I was jumping for joy. That’s why it annoys me when people point to me and say children shouldn’t be on BGT. Don’t punish all the other children who want to perform because of my mistake.
‘Being on BGT changed my life for the better. It was through that show I discovered my classical voice — up until then I had only sung pop songs — and now I have the highest child singing range that is known’
Hollie Steel, former Britain's Got Talent contestant
‘Being on BGT changed my life for the better. It was through that show I discovered my classical voice — up until then I had only sung pop songs — and now I have the highest child singing range that is known.’
She admits before her semi-final performance she was nervous for the first time in her life. ‘Everyone was pitting me against Susan Boyle and I felt I had something to prove to the girls at school who said I had a rubbish voice. I was offered a counsellor but didn’t really tell anyone how I was feeling. I didn’t want everyone to make a fuss.
‘When I got on stage the nerves kicked in. And when I get nervous I gulp when I sing. I gulped seven times and it ruined the song. Now I know I should have carried on singing but I panicked and burst out crying. I felt like I had ruined everything and I was angry with myself.
‘I wanted to do it again and at first they said I couldn’t. But then they let me; and when I did it was fine. After that I was just focused on the final. We went to Boots and I got Rescue Remedy which is a herbal thing you put on your tongue. When I walked on stage I was nervous, but then I didn’t go wrong and by the chorus I was so into it that when I came off stage I felt empowered. It was really cool .
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