Girl who got Si to dance
Scotland’s Champion Lily Douglas on charming talent show’s Mr Nasty
Our Scotland’s Champion winner Lily Douglas knows a thing or two about dancing.
The 12-year-old, who is being treated for a rare form of cancer called Ewing’s sarcoma, has countless trophies to prove it.
But she says her biggest achievement is getting Simon Cowell to dance for her on video-sharing social media app TikTok. Pop star and talent show judge Alesha Dixon and her Scots manager Malcolm Blair saw Lily’s story in the Sunday Mail.
They invited Lily and her mum Jane to spend a weekend with them in London at f ilming for The Greatest Dancer on Saturday and then BGT judging on Sunday.
She was delighted to meet “Aunty Alesha and Uncle Malcolm”, as Lily describes them, and also hit it off with TV’s Mr Nasty, Simon.
He made a beeline for her when he arrived at his office and, to everyone’s amazement, even agreed to dance for her – the first time any of his staff had ever seen him dance.
Lily, from Perth, said: “I asked Simon to be in TikTok with me. He said he would stand for me but didn’t want to dance. “I didn’t think he would even get up and said the whole point is you have to dance.
“David Walliams said he had to, so the two of them did it for me. Then Simon pointed at me and gave me a score of 10. “The judge of the biggestever talent show gave me 10 out of 10. I love him.
“I didn’t expect to see Simon. Before he arrived, I was with David, Amanda Holden and Alesha, who were all so lovely. “I thought he’d be busy but he walked into the room, came straight to me and spent about half an hour talking to me, showing me what was going on.
“He told me lots of secret stuff about who is going through and what is happening on Britain’s Got Talent but I’m sworn to secrecy. I’m
not allowed to tell anyone. He even invited me back for the live final in May. It was a really special moment.”
Malcolm said: “Simon never ever dances – but he did for Lily.
“It was hilarious and all the production team couldn’t quite believe that anyone got Simon to dance on camera.”
Lily got a tour of the Sony Music offices where Simon is based and even got a peek at his legendary private bathroom.
She said: “I saw Simon’s off ice and his awards – the Bafta was very cool.
“I loved the big picture of him in his office. It’s made out of loads of tiny dots, it’s incredible.
“Simon even has a shower in his office – no other person in the world has that.”
The previous day was spent at The Greatest Dancer with Alesha and Malcolm, where again she met everyone – including her idol, American singer-songwriter Todrick Hall, Jordan Banjo, Cheryl, Oti Mabusi and Matthew Morrison.
Lily said: ”I watch the show as dance is what I love so to be there and watch it in real life was amazing. It’s cool on TV but to be there is so different.
“Everyone was so lovely. Alesha spent so much time with us and Malcolm was amazing.
“It was exciting but a bit overwhelming not knowing anyone. But from the moment I met Malcolm, he was so lovely and made me feel at home. He felt like an uncle to me. I just felt like I was with family.
“Alesha was the same, like my new aunty. She was so nice and it felt like I knew her already. She gave me two of her books and signed them.”
Alesha said: “It was so lovely spending time with the gorgeous Lily. She’s a remarkable young lady and everyone that meets her falls in love with her.”
Lily loves Instagram and has picked up a few notable followers after the weekend of a lifetime.
She said: “David followed me and Alesha as well. Simon said he would but doesn’t know how to work his phone so is getting his assistant to do it for him.
“It was brilliant, every single part. It was the best weekend of my life. I loved it so, so much. I got to meet all my favourite people and there wasn’t one moment I didn’t love.”
Jane was delighted to see Lily win an army of new celebrity fans – and, more importantly, forget about her health for a full weekend.
She said: “We were giggling all the time and Lily loved every second of it. Everyone couldn’t have done enough for her but Alesha and Malcolm treated us like part of the family.
“Avanti West Coast trains gave us f irst- class tickets and The KWest Hotel gave us a beautiful suite and balloons and cupcakes.”
Malcolm said Lily’s new celebrity fans were thrilled to put a smile on her face.
He added: “I first heard about Lily when the Sunday Mail featured her meeting Lewis Capaldi.
“Like lots of people, I watched the video of her and was captivated by Lily and her story.
“All evening on her journey home she kept sending me funny pictures and messages but the best one was one saying, ‘ Thanks for the best weekend of my life’.
“She is, without doubt, the most amazing g and most inspirational personrson I’ve met in my life and I was lucky to havee one of the b e s t weekends of my life withh her and her mum Jane, whoo is incredibly strong.
“Since she got back, we’ve spoken or messaged several veral times a day cooking up other adventures.
“We’re all completely and utterly captivated by Lily. ly. She’s a delight to spend d time with and a total inspiration for what she is going through. Yet she still manages to smile that beautiful smile and d light up every room she goes into.”
It was the best weekend of my life. I loved it so, so much