BGT Tenor Jonathan Antoine Shares Candid Account of Autism Diagnosis and Mental Health Struggles
In an exclusive and deeply personal interview, Britain's Got Talent star Jonathan Antoine has opened up about his recent autism diagnosis, his battle with severe depression, and how the ITV talent show saved him from suicide. The tenor, who shot to fame in 2012 as the runner-up on BGT, spoke to The Mirror for his first newspaper interview since publicly revealing his autism diagnosis last year.
The Coma Whisperer: A Voice That Heals
Jonathan Antoine, now 31, has earned the remarkable nickname 'The Coma Whisperer' after his singing reportedly woke two fans from comas. "Yes, I have woken two fans from comas," Jonathan confirmed. "It's such a privilege to be played at all points of people's lives: weddings, funerals, baptisms, breakups, during chemotherapy, during comas. It'll never not be absolutely amazing to me."
His incredible voice first captivated the nation when he performed The Prayer with singing partner Charlotte Jaconelli during their Britain's Got Talent audition, which has since amassed 153 million views on YouTube. The duo went on to sell 250,000 albums before parting ways in 2014.
Autism Diagnosis and Breakdown
Jonathan received his autism diagnosis in 2024, though it only became public knowledge last year. Reflecting on his journey, he revealed: "When I began my solo career I had a breakdown. It was 2014, I was 21. It was primarily an autistic meltdown, but I didn't know at the time."
He described always feeling different, struggling with weight issues since age four, and facing bullying at school. "In year four someone sat on me, to 'see how much I weighed'. That stayed with me for a long time," he recalled. "Being neurodivergent, school was hard for me. Later, I began to realise that I dealt with things in different ways to other people."
Simon Cowell's Lifesaving Intervention
Jonathan credits Britain's Got Talent and particularly Simon Cowell with saving his life during his darkest moments. "I don't think I'd be here at all," he confessed. "I made plans to end my life. I had just dropped out of school with no actual prospects. I was directionless. At the very right moment, it picked me up out of the dirt."
The singer signed with Cowell's Syco Music label after the show, releasing two albums with Charlotte Jaconelli. He described Cowell as "incredibly successful, but always makes you feel like you're the important one in the room. Your time was valuable to him. It's a very impressive skill, and one that I've tried to adopt."
Singing as Salvation
For Jonathan, singing has been both a superpower and a lifesaver. "Singing has saved my life," he explained. "It's given me the life I have now and allowed me to travel the world and meet amazing people. It's given me purpose. And it's given me a lifeblood."
He described his performance style: "I don't see the people watching me very much. When I perform my eyes are closed 80% of the time. When I'm singing I can feel every synapse in my brain firing. No matter what I have clouding me that day - the responsibilities - it provides a sense of non-existence for a moment or two."
Family Support and New Beginnings
Now managed by his family, including his sister Charlotte, Jonathan finds comfort in their support. "They actually care, they want the best for me," he said. His mother Tracy added: "He hasn't let his autism stop him. It's not easy, especially as singer in his genre. But he's not willing to fit into a box."
Jonathan has released his new album, Speaking To You, on his own label, Antoine Multimedia, which he started in 2016. The album includes his rendition of John Legend's All Of Me.
Inspiring Others Through Openness
Speaking about his autism diagnosis publicly, Jonathan hopes to help others, inspired by fellow singer Lewis Capaldi's openness about Tourette's syndrome. "Mr Capaldi is brilliant," he said. "Getting more informed about neurodivergence, about the many different types of people that exist on the planet, that is incredibly valuable."
He's already seen the impact: "I've had so many people, especially since the diagnosis, who have reached out and said their loved ones, their kids, are autistic as well, or they themselves have sort of explored it more since."
A Touching Encounter with Susan Boyle
Jonathan, often compared to Susan Boyle who won BGT in 2009, shared a memorable moment with the Scottish singer. "I was at the Pride of Britain awards and feeling extremely overwhelmed and nervous," he recalled. "I feel a hand on my shoulder and she leans in behind me and she whispers, 'you're brilliant'. Just that, those two words, in that lovely, beautiful accent. And then she walked off. Beautiful. I'll never forget that."
Looking Forward with Hope
Despite continuing to manage depression with medication, Jonathan is more content than ever. "I'm still medicated," he acknowledged. "It's not something that disappears or evaporates, but it's something that you learn to deal with. I've got this beautiful family of mine that takes care of me and has always taken care of me, when I've been at my very lowest."
His mother Tracy expressed immense pride: "He makes people happy when he sings. I don't think I could be more proud, when you think about how far he has come and the sort of person he is. He has this amazing voice, we all know and love, but that's not the only thing that people love about him."
