Sunday People

Why Amanda was Holden back the tears Sand art baby grief

- By Halina Watts and Amy Sharpe

EMOTIONAL Amanda Holden wept on Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions last night – as a sand artist reminded her of the baby son she lost.

Viewers saw the TV judge well up as she pressed her Golden Buzzer for Kseniya Simonova, 34, who created a portrait of a sick child and its mum out of sand as music played.

Amanda, 48, endured agony when son Theo was stillborn in 2011 – a year after she had suffered a miscarriag­e.

She also nearly died in 2012 because of a severe haemorrhag­e which stopped her heart during the difficult delivery of daughter Hollie, now aged seven.

All four judges were brought to their feet by married Kseniya’s performanc­e.

But Amanda was affected most, sobbing as she told former Ukraine’s Got

Talent champion:

“Sorry, I’m a complete mess.

“The whole message was very uplifting and very emotional. It was just beautiful.” Last year Amanda, who has a daughter Lexi, 13, with producer hubby Chris Hughes, praised NHS nurses who helped her cope with her ordeals.

Ukrainian Kseniya revealed Amanda “hugged and kissed” her after the show.

“She’s a beautiful and great person,” the mum of two said. “I think the sand story I told touched her because it’s a story of a survivor – of a winner in the fight for life.

“She knows what it’s like. I know she came through big pain in her life and she really inspires with her story. Her Golden Buzzer was a real honour to me.”

Since winning the Ukrainian show in 2009, Kseniya has been volunteeri­ng with a charity, creating sand art videos to raise awareness for kids with cancer. But she insisted she tried not to cry on the show.

“I’m a l ways afraid to cry when I perform,” she revealed. “If a tear falls down on the glass surface it will spoil the performanc­e as the sand will stick.”

 ??  ?? ORDEALS Amanda’s son Theo was stillborn a year after she had a miscarriag­e ARTIST: Kseniya performs on show
ORDEALS Amanda’s son Theo was stillborn a year after she had a miscarriag­e ARTIST: Kseniya performs on show

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