Simon Cowell to reunite with BGT dancer after paying for her £175k surgery in emotional semi final
3 September 2019, 13:45
It’s set to be an emotional instalment of Britain’s Got Talent this weekend, as Simon Cowell will be seen reuniting with dancer Julia Carlisle after paying for her back surgery.
The TV judge first met Julia back in 2017 when she auditioned for BGT with the MerseyGirls dance troupe and earned Alesha Dixon’s Golden Buzzer.
They went on to make it all the way to the final and come in fourth place, despite 17-year-old Julia battling painful spinal condition scoliosis.
After the show ended, Simon was so touched by Julia’s story, he offered to pay for her £175,000 operation - called vertebral body tethering - to help her continue dancing.
And now, two years later, 59-year-old Simon will watch Julia take to the stage once more with the MerseyGirls on Saturday.
The dance troupe will take to the stage for the BGT Champions' second semi-final along with 2011 winner Jai McDowall, choir 100 Voices of Gospel and comedian Lost Voice Guy.
Last month, it was reported that Simon was overcome by emotion after coming face-to-face with Julia again in the pre-recorded episode.
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According to The Sun, he tells the young girl: “All I want to talk about is one person’s strength and, beyond that, the friendship and support you all have, which we saw the first time we met you.”
Wiping back tears, he adds: “To see you able to come back tonight... it just means everything.”
Julia is said to have replied: “I couldn’t walk two years ago and now I am here. Simon, thank you so much. I don’t think I have ever been so happy as I am right now.”
This comes after last week’s show saw 2007 winner Paul Potts dumped from Britain's Got Talent: The Champions in the very first week.
The singer, 48, who won the first ever series of BGT, failed to make it into the top three after his performance.
Simon was even left gobsmacked when the new voting system - where the audience at Wembley Arena vote for their favourite acts - meant that favourites Paul and Connie Talbot were eliminated.
