Declan Donnelly has revealed that his initial reaction to Susan Boyle's iconic 2009 Britain's Got Talent audition was surprisingly reserved, unlike the global phenomenon it later became.
First-Hand Experience
Donnelly, who has hosted the show alongside Anthony McPartlin for years, was present in Scotland when Boyle, now 65, delivered her stunning performance. The audition, which later gained over 20 million YouTube views within days, made Boyle a star in the US almost overnight.
However, for Ant and Dec, the immediate reaction was different. While viewers worldwide were captivated, the duo were more subdued at first, until they watched the audition back.
Never Judge a Book by Its Cover
Speaking on their podcast, Donnelly explained that the audition was a classic example of why people should never judge a book by its cover. He said: "We were only in Scotland for one day doing auditions. So, we were racing through everybody trying to get them done."
He added: "It was a surprising audition because none of us expected the lady, in how she looked and how she was going on, to come out and sing like that. Which again was a fantastic example of never judging a book by its cover. You can always be surprised."
Anthony McPartlin's Reflection
Anthony also reflected on the performance, admitting his reaction differed from the millions who later watched online. He said: "After that audition went out and it went HUGE that episode, it blew up everywhere."
He continued: "It was massive on YouTube, it was huge in the states. Susan Boyle became a huge star in the states just from that one first audition going out on Britain's Got Talent. On the day of that audition I don't really remember it being remarkable. Not as remarkable as when I watched it back and you saw the judges’ reactions and the audience’s reactions. It was a good audition, but we'd seen a lot of good auditions that day."
Susan Boyle's Health Update
These comments come after Susan recently gave an update on her health, following several challenges in recent years. Now in the process of making a comeback, she spoke to STV's Laura Boyd and Emma Cameron about what happened and how she is recovering, while revealing that people have made a common mistake when speaking to her.
Susan said: "I wasn't too well, I had a stroke for a wee while there. I've got over most of it. Some people say I sound as if I'm drunk but I'm not. I'm back now. They couldn't shut me up for long enough."
Discussing her ongoing return to the spotlight, she added: "I've had a great summer. I'm very humbled by the public. They're very friendly, very accepting. I'm having the best time of my life. I'm really lapping it up. I'm like a cat with the cream."
