In 2011, a young contestant wowed the Britain’s Got Talent judges with a stunning performance of Feeling Good at just 12-years-old and now Ronan Parke looks very different
Britain’s Got Talent has seen countless memorable auditions, but one young contestant truly captivated the judges back in 2011.
At just 12-years-old, Ronan amazed then-judges Amanda Holden, Michael McIntyre, and Louis Walsh with an extraordinary performance of Feeling Good by Nina Simone. His incredible voice earned him a standing ovation, leaving both the audience and judges in awe, while his emotional mother watched backstage with Ant and Dec.
Despite being the bookies’ favourite to win, Ronan ultimately lost out to Scottish singer Jai McDowall. However, his Britain’s Got Talent appearance launched his career, leading to a record deal with Sony Music. His debut album, released in 2011, charted at number 22, and he later released a Christmas single and a charity track supporting anti-bullying in 2012.
Now, Ronan looks completely different, with photos shared on his social media offering a peek into his life after stepping away from the spotlight, featuring nights out in London with friends and trips abroad. He sports a short up do with waves, styling it in various ways. The singer often showcases his fashion sense, posting stylish photos for his Instagram followers.
At 26, Ronan still pursues his love for singing, performing at London Pride in 2019. Reflecting on his early years in the spotlight, Ronan has discussed the challenges he faced dealing with online abuse about his sexuality during his time on BGT.
Looking back, he said: “It was mostly positive, but there were things that I was too young for. Being on social media was hard, especially at 12 when people made nasty comments about my sexuality. I never even spoke about it, yet it was the focus of so much negativity.”
Resembling a young Justin Bieber, the talented youngster had the judges up on their feet with his outstanding performance of Nina Simone’s Feeling Good. Michael joked that the lad didn’t need to go back to school, while stand-in judge Louis Walsh said he was predicting really big things for the child star. However, scandal erupted before the semi-final when someone claiming to work for Simon Cowell’s company Syco published a blog suggesting the competition was ‘fixed’ for Ronan to win.
The blogger, who claimed to be a Sony Music staff member, alleged Ronan’s “development” had been manipulated and that his hairstyle, clothing and mannerisms have all been choreographed. The BGT supremo called in police over claims on the blog that Ronan had been “groomed” to win and labelled it a “smear campaign” against the talented singer.
“There has been an allegation made on the internet that Ronan Parke had a previous recording contract with my record label and that I’d met him before hand. Both are complete and utter lies,” said Simon. “The first time I met Ronan was on this show. He entered the show of his own accord. He’s just 12 years old and this is a deliberate smear campaign. It is my job to make sure this liar is exposed and this kid is treated in the same way as everyone else. The public are going to decide this competition.”
A BGT source said: “It’s sickening. A 12-year-old boy hoping to fulfil his dreams is being viciously attacked by someone who won’t even reveal his name. Simon wants this liar found. There are lots of people in the industry who are very jealous of Simon’s success.” Ronan himself blasted the “silly” allegations and BGT said they would not tolerate “unfounded claims” about the show. Speaking to ITV News, Ronan said: “I have not been coached by anyone to do with Simon. I have never met Simon in my life. I’d love to, but I never have.”
Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
