Susan Boyle has revealed she suffered a minor stroke in April 2022, which left her unable to sing for four years. The Scottish singer, 62, made the announcement during a surprise appearance on the Britain's Got Talent live final on Sunday night.
Boyle, who shot to fame on the show in 2009, joined the London cast of Les Misérables on stage as votes were counted. She told presenters Ant and Dec: 'It feels great. It is extra special for me actually because last April there, I suffered a minor stroke. I have fought like crazy to get back on stage. And I have done it.'
Head judge Simon Cowell commented: 'Susan, we owe you so much and I knew you weren't well, but if anyone was going to come back you were going to come back because it wouldn't be the same without you.'
Posting on her Facebook page after the programme, Boyle said: 'For the past year I have worked so hard to get my speech and singing back, with the sole aim of being able to sing on stage again.'
Boyle, from Blackburn in West Lothian, shot to fame in 2009 after her audition for the third series of BGT went viral. She sang 'I Dreamed a Dream' from Les Misérables and despite coming second in that year's final, she went on to have a successful recording career, selling more than 20 million albums and earning two Grammy nominations.
Sunday's final was won by comedian Vigo Venn, who beat bookmakers' favourite Musa Motha, a dancer from South Africa who had one leg amputated when he was 11. Venn's prize was £250,000 and a slot at the Royal Variety Performance.
