Beloved Britain’s Got Talent star Audrey Leybourne dies aged 95
Audrey Leybourne has died aged 95.
Audrey shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent in 2018 after delighting judges David Walliams, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden with her rendition of I Wanna Be Loved By You.
She was one of the show’s oldest contestants, and made it through to the second round.
Confirming the news of her passing, Rev Simon Grigg penned on Audrey’s London-based parish’s Facebook page: “It is with deep sadness that we report the death of our much loved friend Audrey Leybourne, who died early on Thursday morning.
“She was a remarkable person, a real ‘trouper’ of an actress (starting her career with Sir Donald Wolfit, no less) and a much loved member of St. Paul’s.”
The statement went on: “She has a last message for you all. When she was in hospital two weeks ago, she said to me, ‘If I pop off, tell everyone I don’t regret a thing. I’ve had a wonderful life’.
“Quite a statement. Quite a lady. Quite a Christian.
“We will, of course, let everyone know when we have details of her funeral. May she rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen.”
Alongside the post was a photograph of Audrey smiling on a bench as she sat near her walker.
At the time of her audition four years ago, Amanda asked Audrey if she was married, and her response left both the judges and viewers in stitches.
She said: “No, I was in love many, many times… 22 gentlemen.”
BGT wasn’t her first television stint, however, with Audrey having starred on Les Dawson's BBC show in the 1980s with her dance group The Roly Polys.
Meanwhile, her 2018 TV audition landed her a role in a York-based pantomime, as well as getting a two-episode appearance on Carters Get Rich.
Audrey played Potty T Posts in Beauty and The Beast for her first panto role at the age of 90.
Her hilarious reply to Amanda’s question also saw Audrey feature on Loose Women, where the famous panellists quizzed the then-90 year old on her love life.
Jane Moore asked if she’d “kept a diary” of the people she loved, to which Audrey said: “No, I have my memories.”
“I’ve never actually been really lucky in love,” she continued. “You meet this wonderful gentleman and he’s so nice to you and you fall in love with him. Put him on a pedestal. Anyway, it never actually worked out so no one ever took me to the altar.”
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