Love Changes Everything The whirlwind life of Colin Thackery
Britain’ s Got Talent winner Colin Thackery tells us why he’s determined to make the most of every second
Since winning Britain’sGot Talent last year, the life of Chelsea Pensioner Colin Thackery has been a bit of a whirlwind to say the least.
After performing at the Royal Variety Show, he became the oldest person to sign a record deal and then saw his album become a Top 20 best-seller. He’s penned an autobiography, marked his
90th birthday by performing 14 songs to a 600-strong audience at a solo concert, and is lined up to play a big role in the country’s
VE Day 75th anniversary celebrations.
Things got so busy that his concerned family questioned whether he was overdoing things, but Colin has his own refreshingly unflappable take on the remarkable events that have turned him into a star.
“Not in a million years did I imagine this would have happened at 89, but my philosophy is, enjoy life while you can,” he smiles.
“It got a bit manic and my daughter was worried at first. I said, ‘Well, you know darling, it’s like being on a roundabout. It’s getting a bit faster at the moment, but one day it will stop and I’ll fall off!’
“I don’t feel my age and I’d say to other people – for heaven’s sake, don’t let life stop because you’ve retired. There are so many interesting things to do. Obviously I know I’m old, but mentally I’m fairly active. I think singing does that.”
Warm, spirited and funny, it’s easy to see why the nation fell for the proud former serviceman who seemed an unlikely star as he walked out onto o the Britain’sGot Talent T stage in his scarlet tunic. t
A resident at Chelsea’s world-famous Royal Hospital, he was persuaded to enter by a friend who heard him singing at their monthly
Curry Friday.
“This guy said, ‘I dare you to enter Britain’sGotTalent,’” Colin recalls.
“I’ll delete the expletives, but I said, ‘Don’t be silly, what would they want an old bloke like me for?’ But his dare was like a red rag to a bull and I entered.”
His moving performance
“I think Joan would have been delighted but she’d say, ‘Don’t get above yourself’”
of WindBeneathMyWings had the audience on their feet and many were left in tears when Colin explained it was the favourite song of his wife Joan, who died in his arms in 2016. They had been married for 66 years.
“Music has always been a great joy and comfort, especially in times of stress,” says Colin, who won the BGT final with his rendition of Love ChangesEverything. “The songs often remind me of Joan and when I sing, I’m really singing directly to her.”
The couple met in 1949 when Colin, then 19, was posted to a camp in County Durham after serving with the Royal Artillery in the Korean War.
“I went to the camp dance and saw this very pretty little brunette,” he recalls with a smile. “I thought, ‘My golly, she’s nice.’ We were doing a barn dance and I elbowed my way forward so I was opposite said pretty girl when the music stopped.
“We had our first dance and I asked her for the next tango. She said, ‘How many other