Britain’s Got Talent tragedies from knife attack to mental health battles

Britain’s Got Talent, a popular television program, has lost another star. When Chantel Bellew passed away, her mother referred to her as a “ray of sunshine,” and she was only 34 years old.

Britain’s Got Talent has changed the lives of many of its contestants, with some performers providing bags of laughs and others showing off serious skills. But while the TV contest has brought joy to millions of viewers over the years, we have lost several of its stars along the way too.

The latest is hopeful Chantel Bellew, the 2019 BGT contestant who taught Strictly judge Anton Du Beke how to tap dance. Chantel was just 34 when she died in hospital from a suspected overdose, weeks after her birthday.

Her mother Jill Dawson told The Mirror her daughter “couldn’t handle life” when her career died during lockdown and suffered a devastating breakdown before her death.

READ MORE: Tragic BGT star Chantel Bellew’s devastating breakdown and downward spiral before death

She described Chantel as a “ray of sunshine” and the “brightest star in the sky” as the “brightest star in the sky” and continued to teach dance until lockdown. All performers were affected by it. Prior to lockdown, she experienced a decline, but it quickly increased.

She had a breakdown after her career ended. She requested assistance, but nothing was provided after that. She didn’t have a gender when she worked in a store. I instructed her to act like a stagemaid and how to be a barmaid.

“Chantel was taken to Bolton Hospital last Monday, and St James in Leeds was where she was scheduled to be, but on Friday I was informed that she wouldn’t make it and passed away.”

Unfortunately, there have been more than one BGT contestant’s death, including a beloved musician and a well-known granny rapper. We reflect back…

Jack Saunders

Before resigning from the show due to an untimely death, Jack was a member of Green Force Five’s five-piece dance group. He reached the semi-finals in 2019. That March, the gifted contestant committed suicide at the age of 25. Before BGT, Jack had danced well before winning the Got to Dance finals with Unity UK and competing at the London Olympics when he was just 18 years old.

Sandra, Jack’s heartbroken mother, said, “I want people to know this can happen to any family.” There is no stereotype; a manic depressive who has displayed signs of mental health issues is not a requirement. A generous man, Jack. He was the shoulder you cried on because he was concerned for everyone else and always looked out for others.

Norma Clarke

Norma was BGT’s famous granny rapper who took to the stage in 2007 dressed in a hoodie and baseball cap. The Birmingham contestant performed self-penned tune Sam The Rapper, wowing judges Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden and eventually winning over Simon Cowell, making it through to boot camp.

In August 2019, the great-grandmother died in hospital following a long illness, aged 81. Her daughter Amanda said: “She was such a character and many people remembered her for her appearance as a rapper on Britain’s Got talent. She entered as she wanted to win the £100,000 prize money to pay for a new community centre for young people on her estate.”

Simonne Kerr

Simonne and her fellow NHS choir B Positive, which included staff, donors, and NHS Blood and Transplant patients, made it to the 2018 BGT finals thanks to their moving performances. She lost her six-year-old son Kavele to sickle cell disease in 2015 while working as a haematology and oncology nurse at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital in South London.

Desmond Sylva’s on-off partner knifed Simonne, 32, to death in August 2018. She was repeatedly stabbed and slashed to the back. He was sentenced to life in prison in July 2019 for the woman’s murder at the Old Bailey. The nurse’s coworkers dubbed their pal “one in a million,” paying her tearful tribute. She was “so funny, smart, and strong,” she said.

Paula Moulton

Paula appeared on the show in 2012 as part of dance troupe Strictly Wheels, performing with friend Gary Lyness. She had contracted MRSA in hospital with pneumonia, which left her with damage to her pelvis, lower spine, femur and hips. The talented pair reached the semi-finals with their version of Alicia Keys’ Empire State of Mind and in 2016 they competed for Para Dance Sport Team GB. Strictly Wheels became a charity the same year, aiming to raise the profile of wheelchair dancing in the UK.

The 52-year-old Manchester dancer unexpectedly passed away in a hospital last June. In homage to his dance partner, Gary said, “Paula always focused on the positive things in life, and her disability never was a hindrance. For the abundance of optimism she impacted, she ought to be remembered. My personal and professional life, as well as that of many others in the wheelchair dance community, will be forever changed by her passing.

Watson, David

Magician David from Altrincham, Greater Manchester, competed on the show a staggering 12 times. His first appearance was back in 2008 where he did impressions of politicians Tony Blair, William Hague, and David Blunkett and while it didn’t go well, he bounced back in 2010 with an Incredible Hulk performance deemed ‘bloody awful’ by judge Amanda Holden.

David became part and parcel of the BGT auditions, trying out every year since 2013 and saying: “I just love being on the show”. In 2020, he even made it through to the second round with his ‘magic rainbow’ act, which the judges called his best yet. The retired NHS worker was found dead at home in December 2021 after his worried family contacted the police when they couldn’t get hold of him. His death was not treated as suspicious. “He was always up for a laugh and such a good sport,” said Amanda. “We will miss him.”

Henry Hall

Henry was one half of singing duo The Pensionalities, reaching the finals of BGT in 2015 with pal Malcolm Sykes. The friends, who had grown up a few miles apart in the pit villages of north Doncaster, delighted viewers with their takes on Frank Sinatra classics including You Make Me Feel So Young and were compared to show hosts Ant and Dec by head judge Simon Cowell.

Henry died at home on April 28, 2017 aged 86. His obituary read: “In both life and death, Henry definitely did it ‘his way!’ He died peacefully at home, as he wished, with his family. He lived an extraordinary life and was known to a great many people as H from Cusworth’s Motorcycles and latterly half of The Pensionalities from Britain’s Got Talent. He was loved by many, forgotten by none and will be greatly missed by all.”

Robert Anker

Dance group Diversity took BGT by storm in 2009 and group member Robert ‘Rob’ Anker went onto appear on So You Think You Can Dance? and Strictly Come Dancing. The talented performer, who worked with Jessie J and Paloma Faith and appeared in Thriller Live in the West End, left his native Essex for a new life in Canada with his wife Cyndi when tragedy struck.

Less than a year later, Rob, 27, was killed in an Ontario road accident when his car and a pickup truck collided. The dancer was credited with that performance on Friday night, saying that he “had incredible talent, great personality, and was very popular.

Source: Mirror