Britain’s Got Talent is a show we love for many reasons; from the weird and wonderful acts to the bickering between Simon Cowell and David Walliams, we can’t help but become addicted to the show that searches the nation each year for an act to perform at the Royal Variety show, and also awards the lucky winner with a £250,000 prize fund! (Remind us to apply next year).
Laughter and entertainment aside, one act that really got everyone talking this year was the Missing People Choir – a charity choir who first auditioned for BGT in April and lost in the grand finale to winner – musician Tokio Myers.
The choir consists of the friends and family of missing people who tribute songs to their loved ones that are missing, through sharing their names and pictures with the audience and viewers. The Missing People Choir’s first audition touched the hearts of the nation as they performed the song ‘I Miss You’ written by Peter Boxell, whose two children have been missing for the last 28 years. The song included lyrics written by schoolgirl Alice Gross, who was murdered at the age of 14 in 2014.
Since first appearing on the ITV talent show, the Missing People Choir have raised nearly £7000 through their fundraising campaign (which you can still donate to FYI), but more importantly, their efforts have paid off as a 13-year-old boy who had been missing has been FOUND safely!
The young teen is reported to have rung his mum after seeing his face appear during the choir’s performance on BGT, and it’s been confirmed that he is now home and “safe and well”. (Looks like magic acts aren’t the only people to perform miracles on BGT!).
The co-founder of the Missing People Choir, Clare Cook, said: “We are delighted to announce that a 13-year old missing child who we appealed for on Britain’s Got Talent during the Missing People Choir’s performance saw his appeal and called his mum.” Aww, we love a happy ending!
The success of the brave BGT act doesn’t stop there though, as there has also been a lead in the disappearance of Tom Moore, a man who was 31 years old when he vanished in Italy back in 2003. His family have now flown over to Italy after a 15-year-old boy spotted an English-speaking man sleeping rough in Milan, fitting Tom’s description, and sent pictures and videos to the Missing People Choir charity after they used his image in their BGT performance.
Speaking to The Sun, Tom’s brother Ben said “Of all of the images I’ve been sent, this is probably the closest and most realistic to Tom. It feels like it could be a realistic chance that we might actually find Tom.” (We have everything crossed for you, Ben).
As well as this, there has been another breakthrough for the first time in years in the disappearance of mum Natalie Putt, who was 17 at the time she was announced missing and was believed to have been murdered.
Praising the act, judge Simon Cowell said, “They’ve got a shot at winning, I think. I remember on the day thinking that it was special”. Of course, this was before the hugely talented Tokio Myers was crowned winner; but with the ongoing success of the choir’s campaign, we think the Missing People Choir will be winners in the hearts of many forever.
To donate towards this amazing charity and help them in their search of missing loved ones, please click here
Catch up on the Missing People Choir’s performances on BGT, as well as Tokio Myers and the other outstanding acts, on ITVPlayer now.