Jonathan and Charlotte were an operatic duo who shot to fame on the sixth series of Britain's Got Talent, and now eight years on, we take a look at what happened to the pair
Britain's Got Talent has witnessed a plethora of opera talents in its 18-year history, with Paul Potts and Susan Boyle among the luminaries who shot to fame on the ITV show. Back in 2012, audiences were left gobsmacked as teen opera pair Jonathan and Charlotte took to the stage, prompting Simon Cowell to utter a stunned "Seriously?".
At the ages of 17 and 16, the duo captivated the panel from their very first notes belting out 'The Prayer'. Hitting us with his typical no-nonsense advice, Simon reckoned Jonathan should go solo, fearing that Charlotte could hamper his progress. Brushing off the mogul's remarks, the twosome stuck tight, even flipping their moniker ahead of reaching the tension-soaked live finals on the iconic date of May 12, 2012.
Despite a stellar run, Jonathan and Charlotte had to settle for runner-up spots behind top dogs Ashleigh and pooch Pudsey, a result that had their loyal following up in arms.
On the heels of placing second out of 70,000 acts, an elated Charlotte exclaimed, "Oh my God, we came second out of 70,000 people, it's incredible, it's been amazing", reports Wales Online.
Jonathan Antoine and Charlotte Jaconelli rose to fame on Britain's Got Talent(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
By the next morning, buzz swirled that Simon Cowell was already bargaining to snag Jonathan and Charlotte with a cool £1 million Syco record deal.
September 2012 saw their inaugural album, 'Together', hit shelves, packed with Italian renditions of hits from icons like Elton John, Muse, and Queen.
After serenading Europe on tour and dropping another chart-topper, the musical journey for the duo hit a fork in the road. In February 2014, they called it quits on joint ventures as Sony Classical dangled irresistible solo deals before them.
Singing sensations Jonathan and Charlotte have released a heartfelt statement on their website, reflecting on their incredible journey which began at West Hatch High School in 2006: "We have had the most exciting journey together ever since meeting at West Hatch High School in 2006 and are so happy for each other."
They reminisced about their success as Britain's Got Talent runners-up and best-selling artists: "To come second on BGT and sell over quarter of a million albums was beyond our wildest dreams.
With excitement brimming, they shared news of their solo ventures, expressing gratitude to their fans: "To now be offered our own solo record deals by Sony Classical is the most exciting thing ever and we are thrilled to be going back into the recording studio so soon."
And most importantly, they thanked their loyal support base: "For those that voted for us, bought our CDs and saw us in concert – thank you. We hope to see you soon at our own shows. Love Jonathan and Charlotte."
Moving forward with new adventures, Charlotte continues her passion for performance, dazzling audiences in the realm of musical theatre. She has illuminated the stage in "Carousel in Concert" at The Royal Festival Hall and shone in the original line-up of "Heathers" on the West End.
Charlotte recently captured hearts on TikTok, sharing her whimsical tale from Britain's Got Talent with the viral video captioned: "Simon Cowell hated me but then he got me Kurt Geiger's for xmas."
In the video, she jokes about her resemblance to the renowned Charlotte of 'Jonathan and Charlotte,' wittingly replying "probably because I am" when faced with comparison comments.
Her latest performance took place in Todrick Hall's new sensation "Midnight" earlier in April, where she took to Instagram to disclose her joy: "This show has been one of the most fulfilling and rewarding shows I've ever worked on.
"I've laughed and cried every day, watched the most talented humans create, and been giddy to see what would happen each day." Jonathon is now working on his next album after a tour around the world, as well as performing locally in his home town of Essex.
After the pair split he topped the Classical Artist Album chart with his first solo album, Tenore. In a recent social media post he thanked fans for listening to his music, inspiring him and allowing him to have a singing career. He said: "Your kindness in allowing me to explore all kinds of music and your superlative taste in good tunes has led the way! !".
Recently, Jonathon has been in the headlines for his dramatic weight loss of five stone. Previously admitting to a shortfall in self-discipline, he recently said: "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. 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.
"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, grabbing the world with your hands, feels amazing."
