The Piano star has fellow finalists in tears despite concert 'slip up'
Channel 4's The Piano finished off its third series this weekend and 87-year-old contestant Diana had the entire Glasshouse concert hall in tears with her string section-supported performance.
Fronted by Claudia Winkleman and judged by Mika and Jon Batiste - who replaced Chinese pianist Lang Lang this year - the grand finale was also contested by fellow amateurs Zak, Anisa, Mia, Josiah, Marcus, and Phil, with, significantly, the latter two pairing up.
But when Diana was assisted into her seat by Winkleman, the aching musicality produced by her fingertips (the piece was a special tribute to her late husband) even overwhelmed the other pianists, who were forced to wipe their wet cheeks whilst watching on a TV.
Before playing her original composition for the audience, a VT showed Diana explaining: "One evening I was feeling really, really lost. I remember going to the piano and I was just dreaming on the piano, improvising, and somehow, out of that came a tune.
"I never believed that I was actually good enough. I would like to say to people never give up on your dreams, because I'm living mine at my age."
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When the music did begin, emotions were running extremely high amongst the crowd and behind the scenes, with Zak and Phil in particular captured motionless by the cameras, their teary eyes glistening.
"Diana, you made a billion people cry!" Anisa raved upon her backstage return, as Mika said to Batiste over in the hall: "This is another level compared to the auditions."
Meanwhile, a visibly thrilled Diana was visited by her daughter after the performance.
"I did slip up!" she claimed as the two hugged, referring to an apparent mistake that untrained ears (such as these) definitely didn't catch.
The least shocking result in reality TV history happened on Sunday, May 25, with Diana earning the crown for 'best performer on the night'.
Batiste labelled her "the Queen of England" during the presentation, before Diana addressed the concert attendees; "I really don't know what to say because everyone who played tonight is worthy, and I have to thank Mika and Jon for everything. Thank you all so much for your wonderful reception.
"In the future I won't be so full of self-disbelief," she later told the cameras. "My husband, I can almost feel him standing next to me. He always used to say that I needed recognition, so I have the feeling he knows."
The Piano airs on Channel 4 and can be streamed via 4OD.
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Watch the '195" here: MEDIA CONTACT: Martina Fuchs Email: [email protected] Mobile: +41 79 361 01 46 LIST OF '195" PARTICIPANTS: Fawzia Koofi, Afghanistan Juxhina Sotiri Gjoni, Albania Kahina Bouagache, Algeria Jimena Cierco Martinez and Júlia Carreras Salvadó, Andorra Ester Nilsson, Angola Abrianna Cooper, Antigua and Barbuda Romina Sudack, Argentina Sose Markosyan, Armenia Anjali Nadaradjane, Australia Delia Fischer, Austria Bahar Balayeva, Azerbaijan Amanda Darville, Bahamas Ahdeya Ahmed Al-Sayed, Bahrain Laiba Jannati Pritha, Bangladesh Gloria Carter, Barbados Kristina Lozinskaya, Belarus Nyanchama Okemwa, Belgium Julie Robinson, Belize Adjalla Senami Naomy Campbell Mariela, Benin Yangdon Sonam, Bhutan Valentina Crespo Kuljis, Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Iman Daneya Zulum, Bosnia and Herzegovina Kabelo Botlhe Dikobe, Botswana Samanta Bullock, Brazil Daphne Lai Teck Ching, Brunei Darussalam Natalini Yordanova, Bulgaria Audrey Korsaga, Burkina Faso Jeanne Irakoze, Burundi Zanu Alves, Cabo Verde Savada Prom, Cambodia Sabrina Love, Cameroon Alyson Meister, Canada Kessy Martine Ekomo-Soignet, Central African Republic Mariam Abdoulaye Malloum, Chad Bernardita Castillo Passi, Chile Joyce Peng Peng, China Karin Andrea Stephan, Colombia Armel Azihar Sly-vania, Comoros Gisèle Brice Mabiala, Republic of the Congo Maria Jose Freer Murillo, Costa Rica Noussoeu Bih, Côte D'Ivoire Marijana Maros, Croatia Lixandra Díaz Portuondo, Cuba Louiza Nikolaou, Cyprus Shelley Pleva, Czechia Esther Eom, Democratic People's Republic of Korea Dodo Liwanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo Heidi Bjerkan, Denmark Intibah Ali Abdallah, Djibouti Sapphire Vital, Dominica María Eugenia del Castillo, Dominican Republic Margarita Heredia Forster, Ecuador Amena Bakr, Egypt Fabiola Torres, El Salvador Paulina Laurel Sami, Equatorial Guinea Harena Amanuel, Eritrea Anette Maria Rennit, Estonia Zandisile Howe, Eswatini Lina Getachew Ayenew, Ethiopia Renita Reddy, Fiji Julia Sulonen, Finland Anino Emuwa, France Rita Aboghe, Gabon Sarjo M Jallo, Gambia (Republic of The) Eka Khorbaladze, Georgia Carolin Strunz, Germany Michelle Nana Adwoa Agyakomah Yeboah, Ghana Efi Pylarinou, Greece Laureen Redhead, Grenada Lilian Viviana Tzul Pérez, Guatemala Fatoumata Diallo, Guinea Waltemira Audilia Monteiro Eckert, Guinea Bissau Amrita Naraine, Guyana Stephanie Garçonvil, Haiti Carmen Elisa Méndez Silva, Honduras Aliz McLean, Hungary Mardis Karlsdottir, Iceland Asma Khan, India Siti Suliatin Buechel, Indonesia Sanam Shantyaei, Iran (Islamic Republic of) Aya Al-Shakarchi, Iraq Lisa Armstrong, Ireland Dalith Steiger, Israel Cristina Romelli Gervasoni, Italy Heather Carrington, Jamaica Meguri Fujisawa, Japan Suad Musallam Hijazin, Jordan Zhanna Kan, Kazakhstan Shayoon, Kenya Miriam Moriati Koae, Kiribati Suad Al Sabah, Kuwait Aigerim Sultanbekova, Kyrgyzstan Duangtavanh Oudomchith, Lao People's Democratic Republic Laima Dimiševska, Latvia Dia Audi, Lebanon Reekelitsoe Molapo, Lesotho Laymah E. Kollie, Liberia Manal Aboujtila, Libya Katrin Eggenberger, Liechtenstein Deimile Soares, Lithuania Sophie-Anne Schaul, Luxembourg Mireille Ramampandrison, Madagascar Jacqueline Nhlema, Malawi Harpreet Bhal, Malaysia Widhadh Waheed, Maldives Binthily Youma Macalou, Mali Michelle Muscat, Malta Claret ChongGum, Marshall Islands Habibata Cissé, Mauritania Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Mauritius Yolanda Sánchez, Mexico Drinnette James, Micronesia (Federated States of) Annabelle Jaeger-Seydoux, Monaco Amrita Gerelt-od, Mongolia Milica Markovic, Montenegro Touria El Glaoui, Morocco Maria Honoria da Silva Mocambique, Mozambique Ei Han, Myanmar Tisha Haushona, Namibia Angelina Waqa, Nauru Sahana Vajracharya, Nepal Andrea B. Maier, Netherlands (Kingdom of the) Alexia Hilbertidou, New Zealand Kathia Salazar, Nicaragua Alassane Soumana Roukayatou, Niger Eyitola St. Matthew-Daniel, Nigeria Matea Kocevska, North Macedonia Alliance Niyigena, Norway Ruby Saharan, Oman Mariam Zaidi, Pakistan Dee Raya Antonio, Palau Nadia Hazem, Palestine Trishna Nagrani, Panama Jenny Namana, Papua New Guinea Emilie Seitz, Paraguay Gigi Caballero, Peru Andrea Mikaella Geronimo, Philippines Elvira Eevr Djaltchinova-Malec, Poland Sandra Fankhauser, Portugal Dr. Asmaa Alfadala, Qatar Sylvia Shin, Republic of Korea Dana Muntean, Republic of Moldova Carina Schuster, Romania Ashley Dudarenok, Russian Federation Bonita Mutoni, Rwanda Vicia Woods, Saint Kitts and Nevis Sheridin Jones, Saint Lucia Rianka Chance, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Faauiga Maiava Onosai Sauiluma, Samoa Martina Mattioli, San Marino Katy Nascimento, Sao Tome and Principe Asma Alsharif, Saudi Arabia Korka Dieng, Senegal Teodora Cosic, Serbia Beverly Dick, Seychelles Sylvia Conteh, Sierra Leone Cheng Ying (Monica), Singapore Lucia Kupcova, Slovakia Ksenia Juvan, Slovenia Sharon Inone, Solomon Islands Amran Abocar, Somalia Kim August, South Africa Josephine Albino, South Sudan Alejandra Costales Richards, Spain Suba Umathevan, Sri Lanka Tahani Karrar, Sudan Radhiya Ebermann-Joval, Suriname Sabinije von Gaffke, Sweden Martina Fuchs, Switzerland Stephanie Ghazi, Syrian Arab Republic Zarina Khasanova, Tajikistan Ratih Paramitha, Thailand Dália Kiakilir, Timor-Leste Isbath Esther Ali, Togo Ofa gé, Tonga Alexa Chin Pang, Trinidad and Tobago Aya Chebbi, Tunisia Guelistan Fuchs, Türkiye Aylar Babayeva, Turkmenistan Lilly Teafa, Tuvalu Jovia Kisaakye, Uganda Kateryna Krasnozhon, Ukraine Suaad Al Shamsi, United Arab Emirates Melissa Monique, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Flaviana Matata, United Republic of Tanzania Kenzi Kachi Maduka, United States of America Camila Bentancur, Uruguay Muldir Khayitova, Uzbekistan Adrina J L Abel, Vanuatu Boglarka Sztancs, Vatican City Sophia Santi Guevara, Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Yip Thy Diep Ta, Viet Nam Wadha Abdullah Mohsin, Yemen Suwilanji Nachula, Zambia Rosheen Ngorima, Zimbabwe ABOUT THE FREQUENCY SCHOOL: The Frequency School is a pioneering global initiative designed to harness the transformative power of music for the holistic development of people around the world, focusing on the mind, body, and spirit. Through services like music therapy, education, and performance, we empower individuals to lead balanced, healthy, and fulfilling lives. The approach integrates the latest in sound therapy with traditional wellness practices to support the whole person. It was launched by Maejor, Martina Fuchs, Kingsley M, Brandon Lee, and Aaron Dawson at the renowned international boarding school Aiglon College in Switzerland in 2024. YouTube: Frequency School LinkedIn: The Frequency School Instagram: @thefrequencyschool Website: PARTNERS: Video - Photo - Photo - Photo - Logo - View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The Frequency School
