Unforgettable Britain's Got Talent act diagnosed with autism after show success

Wales Online

14-05-2025

Unforgettable Britain's Got Talent act diagnosed with autism after show success
The Britain's Got Talent star shot to fame on the talent show in 2012
Jonathan wowed BGT judges with his classical voice
(Image: PA )
He was one of Britain's Got Talent's most unforgettable acts, but Jonathan Antoine then stepped back from the spotlight. It was 12 years ago that the then 17-year old wowed the judges with his classical singing prowess.
His rendition of The Prayer alongside Charlotte Jaconelli earned him high commendations from the panel, including Simon Cowell, who likened him to the iconic Luciano Pavarotti. Jonathan captivated audiences throughout the series and made it all the way to the finals, only to be bested by the dog act Ashleigh and Pudsey.
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Despite his extraordinary ability and receiving accolades from Cowell, Jonathan Antoine did not clinch the Britain's Got Talent crown.
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Antoine told the Mirror US about the sting of not winning: "I remember the feeling of the organs sinking. I didn't cry on stage."
Jonathan Antoine and Charlotte Jaconelli on the BGT stage
(Image: PA )
Jonathan's heartfelt reaction to the loss highlights just how much he had invested emotionally in the contest. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter
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He said: "You have to then think, with Ashleigh and Pudsey, their mission with animals, they'll probably do more responsible things with that than I ever would.
"Wonderful people as well. Just remembering everyone that comes above or below you is made of the same stuff. We're all flesh and blood and electricity coursing through them. That's how you stay not depressed."
Although he didn't clinch the top spot, coming second was a pivotal moment for Jonathan and Charlotte, who secured a £1m record deal with Syco.
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Their album Together hit the shelves in September 2012, followed by Perhaps Love in August 2013; the pair parted ways in February 2014, with Sony Classical extending solo deals to both.
Simon Cowell had envisioned a solo path for Jonathan during his time on BGT, which resonated with Jonathan's own ambitions.
Jonathan reflected: "Charlotte raised up my confidence to the level I could go on BGT and we made something beautiful. Neither of us had been ensemble artists, we loved solo performances, so it was the natural evolution of the thing.
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"There's only so much a crossover classical duo can actually do without starting to reinvent the whole thing. At the point I had the necessary confidence and understood myself a bit more I felt it was time to make the leap."
Jonathan's solo musical pursuits have been a resounding success, reaching new heights with his debut album 'Tenore' topping the Classical Artist Album chart and embarking on sought-after tours across the UK and the US.
He keeps his followers in the loop via Instagram and last year used his platform to share his 2022 autism diagnosis in observance of Autism Awareness Day.
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Jonathan shared: "I got my diagnosis in 2022, not long after my 27th birthday, and for a short while fell into it like a daydream. The recontextualisation of a life already lived is a scary thing to reckon with, but those things done are already set - there is no going back from here!
"I still don't know what exactly I have to contribute to the broader discussion, I'm in the process of finding out what it all means to me in the first place, but perhaps the naiveties of that process are novel enough to write down, so I try regardless."
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"Much as in our ideological tendencies I would wager that the vast majority of people lie somewhere away from the most extreme ends of a given spectrum, and indeed that those 'ends' really blur together in strange and interesting ways and loop back around through hidden channels -though I only have anecdotal evidence backing my opinion.
"I have met many people who are 'normal', but I don't know that I've ever met someone totally 'neurotypical'."
He added: "Our inner and outer worlds are so vastly different, and by 'our' here I mean people in general. We cultivate inner spaces that twist our outer material world and then expect that outer world to conform to our personal interpretations of it. The filter of our perception generates necessary atypicalities, divergences from 'base reality'.
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"We all get our own little 'Matrix' hidden just behind our eyes, and we each see a different tint over the real world. It's good practice to try and imagine just what kind of lens someone else is viewing the world through. Something to bring yourself closer to others, a little way to love yourself."
He continued: "So be kind, look a while through someone else's glasses, and revel in how beautifully different we each are to one another. All my love, as sincerely as it could be given."
On a more individual level, Jonathan opened up about his health and weight loss journey, confessing: "I've still got a lot to lose but I'm making my way. I feel stronger and healthier than I have in 10 years, which is a lot. This year I've made an active choice. I've felt I've lacked the discipline a lot."
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Jonathan shared his health struggles, particularly during his time in America, where he found it tough to resist the widespread availability of fast food.
He confessed: "When I was out in America it's fast food everywhere. I was in a terrible state in the start of the year and I've been able to claw my way back doing light exercise.
"I'm a very big fella so heavy exercise would just tear me up. I'm working my way up, thinking about what I eat because that is important."
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Jonathan has since adopted a new lifestyle, making a conscious effort to walk 10,000 steps every day, even if it means pacing back and forth in one room.
This transformation has given him a newfound appreciation for life, as he explained: "For a long time I was just experiencing life, letting life live me, trying to find the next pleasure. Taking control of your own life, seizing your world with your hands, is very gratifying."