Post Office scandal victims are favourites to win tomorrow’s final – as we catch up with all of the finalists
Post Office scandal choir Hear Our Voice look set to take their fight all the way to the King by winning tomorrow night’s Britain Got Talent final. The group – made up of victims of the sub postmasters scandal, which saw hundreds of lives ruined by the Horizon IT fiasco – are favourites to be crowned victorious.
If they are, they will get an audience with King Charles at the Royal Variety Show. Member Tim Bretnall says it would “take their story to the highest level.” “The absolute best bit of this journey has been the audiences reactions and support, and to be able to feel that for Royalty would be unbeatable,” he said.
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“Winning the show would be huge, we’ve all spent so long fighting what’s felt like an uphill battle, and it’s still going on now, but knowing that the public are firmly behind us would mean the absolute world to us.
“It would give our cause a real seal of approval and hopefully a platform to continue to fight for the justice that people deserve, what’s already changed my life is the joy that being in choir has brought.”
The 40-strong choir was set up a year ago, to provide a happy outlet for their shared pain. Founder Mark Wildblood said it’s become “therapy” for them.
Hundreds of sub-postmasters were accused or convicted of theft and fraud due to the faulty Horizon system, developed by Fujitsu and installed by the Post Office.
It incorrectly financial shortfalls, leading to one of the biggest ever miscarriages of justice. Prosecutions started more than 25 years ago but victims are still fighting for compensation and for those responsible to be held to account.
Their story inspired last year’s ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office. The award-winning show, which starred Toby Jones as campaigning sub-postmaster Sir Alan Bates, led to the quashing of convictions.
One whose conviction for was overturned is Tim, 42, who ran a post office in Roch, Pembrokeshire.
Speaking ahead of today’s final, he says logistics has been the hardest part of the week, not nerves.
“That’s the hardest bit of the choir because we are all from all over the country,” he explained. “Strangely nerves haven’t really come into it, it feels so good to be standing alongside all my friends doing this, we love the opportunity it’s given us.”
Promising an emotional performance, Tim teased what fans can expect. “It’s another song that really speak to us all, how we feel now we’ve come together, it really shows how courage is our talent,” he said. “We’ve been working on this song for months, we hope it will really give a feeling of how together we’ve all been brought by doing this.”
With a £250,000 prize fund also up for grabs, Tim has big plans for the money.
“If we were lucky enough to win we’d split the money evenly between all the members of the choir – after putting a little into saving for my children I plan to give the majority of my share to the 2 postmasters charities – Lost Chances and Horizon Shortfall Fund,” said Tim.
Hear Our Voice are one of 10 finalists performing night. We caught up with the rest of the hopefuls ahead of the finale.
Guitarist Olly Pearson, 11, says her’s overcome a few hiccups ahead of the final.
“I did have a problem with my guitar set up which I had to spend a lot of time working on with my grandad to stop one note ‘choking out’, he explained. But it’s all sorted now!”
Olly wants to treat his grandad if he wins. “First thing I would do is buy my Grandad his dream guitar a USA Fender Strat to say thank you for teaching me!” he promised.
Magician Harry Moulding, 24, is going all out to try win with a never before seen trick.
“All I can say is that it’s going to be the biggest thing that I’ve ever tried to do,” he teased. “I don’t think any magician has ever done this before. And I’m pretty sure that no magician has ever done it on Britain’s Got Talent or on live TV. So just expect for this to be the biggest one yet.”
Swiss dance troup The Blackouts are promising another spectacular light and dance show with a heartwarming message.
“Our final show is called Thank You Britain,” explains Elias. “It’s our way of expressing just how much this experience — and the kindness of the British public — has meant to us. You’ve welcomed us with open arms, and this is our love letter back to you. Expect emotion, energy, surprises and a lot of light — not just in the technical sense, but in the way we hope it makes people feel.”
Glaswegian singer Vinnie McKee, 29, is channeling his nerves and emotions into his performance – which he says will be a tearjerker.
“I’m extremely nervous but more excited than ever before!” he admits. “You will need to have tissues at the ready as I’m doing my own version of an emotional classic that’s never been performed like this before.”
Mum-of-one Stacey Leadbeatter, 29, has big plans for what she’ll do with the prize money if she wins – hoping it will help her grow her family.
“If I was to be lucky enough to win, I promised that I would take my little girl to Disneyland!” she begins. “I’ve promised her that one day I’d do that and this would help! I’d also use the money to help with funding to extend my family by looking into getting IVF and also it would help a great deal towards wedding costs and also releasing my own music.”
Gymnast Binita Chetry, nine, is the youngest finalist of the series – and while she may be small, she’s certainly mighty.
“It’s great because I look small but my performance is as impactful as someone bigger than me,” she said. “I feel the advantage of being the youngest contestant is I get all the love and care of others and that makes me happy. “I want to inspire all the young girls that no matter how young you are if you have a passion for something you can do anything.”
Italian dance troupe Ping Pong Pang are promising an “original, wild, and full of rhythm” show, which they hope takes them all the way to the Royal Variety Performance.
Patrizio Ratto said: “As always, we’ll mix dance, energy, and our unique style with rackets and ping pong balls. Performing for royalty is something beyond imagination. We would live it with deep respect, emotion, and all the wonder we carry in our hearts. We’d just have to polish our rackets a bit first!
Drag opera singer Jasmine Rice, 37, is promising another show stopping performance – and outfit – but says she’s struggled with hay fever in the lead up to the final.
“Aside from the usual pre-show butterflies, this British hay fever has me in a chokehold!” said the New York native, who overcame the secret heartbreak of losing her grandmother to progress to the final. “I landed here and thought my nose was auditioning for a solo of its own. But with that all aside I know now it’s just me, my voice, and that big, fabulous stage.”
Comedian Joseph Charm, 32, says he wants to win the show for his family. The dad-of-two, whose mum got involved by hitting the golden buzzer, shared: “Winning the show would be incredible but nothing will ever trump giving my mum that special moment, that will live with me forever.”
On the prize fund, he said: “That’s a lot of money… it would finally allow me to pay for one month of nursery.”
Watch the BGT final tomorrow on ITV from 7pm.
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