Winner of BGT lost his voice... and found his star power
a Comedian without a voice has defied all the odds to become the winner of this year’s Britain’s Got talent.
Wearing a t-shirt with the slogan ‘i was disabled before it was popular’, Lee ridley had the itV show’s judges and viewers laughing with his dry wit and tongue-in-cheek routines.
the 37-year-old who uses a voice synthesiser to speak due to his neurological condition, cerebral palsy, won the title under his stage name of Lost Voice Guy.
he beat his fellow finalists, comedian robert White and singer Donchez Dacres, and will now perform at the royal Variety show and also take home a cash prize of £250,000.
he used recorded sentences on a computer for his routine, which poked fun at his disability.
Overjoyed at his win, Mr ridley said he was ‘ blown away’ by the support he had received from the judges and the general public and that he was hugely excited to be performing in front of the Queen.
he joked: ‘i’ve loved her since she sang Bohemian rhapsody.’
the judges were full of praise for the performer from Newcastle, with alesha Dixon saying he would ‘inspire so many people’. simon cowell added: ‘you so deserved this.’ Mr ridley also received a kiss from judge amanda holden.
the evening started with a video message from Bishop Michael curry, the ebullient american pastor who almost stole the show at last month’s wedding of the Duke and Duchess of sussex.
the 65-year-old head of the Episcopal church from chicago once again stressed the importance of love. he said: ‘thank you for what you are doing, thank you to the contestants who offer yourselves and share your talent and your gifts with the rest of us, you actually help to bring some joy and happiness. so thank you, God bless you, God keep you and may God hold us all in those almighty hands of love.’
and presenter Declan Donnelly’s introduction was equally impressive. the 42-year-old managed a headstand as he danced with a top hat. some fans even demanded that he be crowned the winner.