The choir, consisting of farmers and agricultural workers, won the public vote and took home £250,000 and a slot at the Royal Variety Performance. The victory was met with accusations of a fix due to Jeremy Clarkson's involvement with ITV, while the choir aims to raise mental health awareness in farming communities.
The 2024 season of Britain's Got Talent concluded with a remarkable and somewhat contentious victory as The Hawkstone Farmers Choir , backed by television personality Jeremy Clarkson , was crowned champion during Saturday's live grand final.
The 32-member choir, composed of farmers and agricultural workers from across the UK, secured the public vote over a talented field of finalists that included Anastasiii & Salsa, Celestial, Fabian Fox, Liwei Yang, Matty Juniosa, Rafferty Coope, Sadeck Berrabah & LMA, Sonny Green, and Ted Hill. Their triumph awards them a £250,000 cash prize and a prestigious performance slot at the Royal Variety Performance.
Head judge Simon Cowell, known for his sharp commentary, described this year's final as the closest ever, repeatedly telling contestants they were the best of the night before admitting, I haven't got a bloody clue of who is going to win. Cowell was joined on the panel by Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and newcomer KSI. Despite the celebratory atmosphere, the outcome sparked immediate controversy among viewers.
Many ITV audience members took to social media platform X to voice suspicions, claiming the result was a fix designed to provide Clarkson, who hosts Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? for the channel, with free publicity. Comments ranged from How's all that free Clarkson promotion going @ITV? to declarations that the vote was rigged and expressions of sickness at the result.
Jeremy Clarkson, the Top Gear and Prime Video star, funded and assembled the choir in 2024 originally for an advertising campaign for his Hawkstone beer brand. The initiative evolved into a dedicated group led by farmers Simon Gwilliam and Lizzy Dean, with a mission to raise awareness and funds for mental health charities within the agricultural community.
Their original performance in the final, an original track, was a moving tribute to farming resilience and mental well-being, with the choir declaring, this is for all the farmers out there, it is not a taboo subject if you're not ok, speak up. Interestingly, Simon Cowell had previously made a cheeky jibe at Clarkson following the choir's semi-final performance of Bastille's Pompeii.
While praising the choir's message and acknowledging they were not professionals, Cowell quipped, It might be quite annoying to see Jeremy Clarkson's smug face, that's the only downside. He's a friend of mine. This dynamic added another layer to the post-victory backlash, with some viewers pointing to Cowell's comment as evidence of pre-judgment. Separately, the grand final opened with a breathtaking and death-defying act by fire juggler Liwei Yang, who had earned KSI's Golden Buzzer in the semi-finals.
Yang, joined by her husband, swung enormous flaming ropes and balanced a smoldering table on her feet, leaving both the panel and viewers on edge. Simon Cowell exclaimed in terror, I thought you were on fire! while KSI labeled it a BGT winning performance. Despite widespread praise for Yang's skill and courage, many fans speculated she might be overlooked in favor of a singing act, a sentiment that may have been reinforced by the choir's ultimate victory.
The Hawkstone Farmers Choir's win marks the first time a choir has taken the Britain's Got Talent title. Their journey from a commercial concept to a symbol of community and mental health advocacy has captured the public's imagination, even as it ignited debates about celebrity influence and voting integrity. The choir's message and the surrounding controversy are likely to dominate discussions around the show's legacy for months to come
Jeremy Clarkson Britain's Got Talent Hawkstone Farmers Choir Simon Cowell ITV BGT Winner Celebrity Influence Agricultural Choir Mental Health Charity Viewer Controversy
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