Jay Kontzle, who plays Billy Fletcher on Emmerdale, was part of the boy band The Mend that appeared on Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor before finding fame as an actor.
Talent show beginnings
The Mend, formed in 2008 by former Take That manager Nigel Martin-Smith, also included Kris Evans, Dean Kelly, and Craig Worsley. They first auditioned for The X Factor in 2011 in front of Simon Cowell, David Walliams, Alesha Dixon, and Amanda Holden, but were asked to leave during boot camp due to an existing management deal.
They reunited with Simon Cowell on Britain's Got Talent in 2012, becoming the judges' Wild Card Act and finishing 7th in the final. The band later supported Little Mix on their DNA tour in 2013 before splitting in 2015.
Reflecting on his time with The Mend, Jay told Cheshire Live: "Being part of The Mend was a huge life experience for me and some of the best times of my life." He added: "Obviously, being on tour and performing live on TV gave me so much experience, but as we grew older, we realised that as a boyband that catered for teenagers, we couldn't keep re-inventing ourselves."
Speaking to Inside Soap, Jay confided: "The best thing about being in a band was the insight I got into the industry." He shared: "We worked with people at the top of their game, like Simon Cowell. But in the end, the business side of music put me off. It was an experience. I don't really talk about it now because I've kind of moved on."
Billy's Emmerdale future
Three years after The Mend split, Jay was cast as Billy Fletcher in Emmerdale following a nudge about an audition from his friend, Hollyoaks actor Jamie Lomas.
This week, Billy's future in the soap is thrown into jeopardy after he appears unconscious and surrounded by blood in a trailer. The flashforward comes after Billy tries to kiss his ex-wife Dawn Fletcher (Olivia Bromley) while in a new relationship with Gabby Thomas (Rosie Bentham). Dawn, who is expecting a baby, is due to marry Joe Tate (Ned Porteous). Joe, jealous of Dawn and Billy's past, tells Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough): "Billy's gonna have to watch his back." Billy is then seen lying on the floor with blood around his head, though his fate remains unknown.
Emmerdale airs weekdays on ITV and ITVX.
