Simon Cowell has reflected on his initial reaction to Susan Boyle’s 2009 audition for Britain’s Got Talent, acknowledging that he and the other judges underestimated her talent. Now, 17 years later, he credits Boyle with playing a pivotal role in the show’s continued success.
The 66-year-old talent show judge spoke about Boyle in a recent interview, stating that she has done “more good for our show than probably any other contestant.” Boyle, who is now 65, first appeared on the stage of Britain’s Got Talent in 2009, but her performance initially drew laughter from the judges, including Cowell, Amanda Holden, and Piers Morgan.
At the time, Boyle had expressed hope of being as successful as Elaine Paige, which led to some mockery from the panel. However, what followed became one of the most iconic moments in the show’s history. Boyle delivered an emotional rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical Les Misérables, leaving the judges stunned.
Although she did not win the competition—losing to dance group Diversity in the final—Boyle went on to achieve massive success. Her debut album sold over 10 million copies, making it one of the best-selling albums of the century.
In a recent interview with Extra, Cowell addressed his comments about Boyle’s appearance on stage, admitting that his initial reaction was “awful.” He explained that he thought she might be a stand-up comedian because he saw her “messing around in the wings.”
“There is this famous awful look between me and Piers,” Cowell said. “That’s what we were like on the day. I wanted to show that you can’t judge a book by its cover.”
He added: “Susan is a real character. I absolutely adore her. She did more good for our show than probably any other contestant.”
Cowell also revealed that his comments about Boyle were even harsher than what was captured on camera. In May, he told the podcast Tales from the Celebrity Trenches that the judges were “even worse” to Boyle than what viewers saw.
“I mean, that look Piers gives me,” he said. “I think of all the looks I’ve ever remembered, that might be the worst. And I was just as bad. We all were. And then, you know, thank God for her, it all worked out well. And, of course, I had the ability to cut all that stuff out, but it was a bit of a wakeup call. Which is, you can’t judge a book by its cover.”
After gaining fame on Britain’s Got Talent, Boyle performed at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant and the 2014 Commonwealth Games. In 2023, she suffered a minor stroke but returned to the stage months later to perform again on the show.
She gained renewed attention last year when Timothée Chalamet, star of Marty Supreme, named Boyle as one of his five favourite Brits. In response, she shared a video of herself singing a birthday song for the actor while wearing Marty Supreme merchandise.
Just last month, Boyle unveiled a dramatic new look, showcasing a blonde bob and teasing her “new era.” It turned out to be a collaboration with Cornetto ice cream.
Britain’s Got Talent recently concluded its 19th series, with Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone Farmers Choir winning the £250,000 cash prize and a spot at the Royal Variety Performance.
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