Sonny Green, the spoken word poet and bookmakers' favourite to win Britain's Got Talent, has opened up about his past struggles with alcohol and drugs. The 30-year-old Essex-born actor, musician, and entrepreneur has been sober for seven years, a change prompted by the death of his father Martin from addiction at age 48.
In an interview with the Mirror, Green said: 'Even though my dad was struggling, he still helped so many people... I was 23 when he passed away and that was a wake-up call for me to change my life. My son was born in 2018, so it all happened at once. Becoming a father changed my life.'
Green's audition featured a simple yet powerful message about acceptance and unity: 'If you ain't got nothing nice to say, just don't say nothing at all...' The performance earned him unanimous approval from judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and KSI, as well as a standing ovation from the audience.
To bring his two young sons into the Hammersmith Apollo for the semi-final, Green had to include them in his act, as age restrictions barred children under seven from the audience. 'The only way I could actually get them in to watch me was to include them as part of my performance,' he told BBC Essex.
Green, who has previously performed at the House of Commons and supported Fatboy Slim, is now the 13/8 favourite with William Hill to win the £250,000 prize and a spot at the Royal Variety Performance. The live final airs on ITV1 on Saturday, May 30 at 7pm.
