Jonathan Antoine was just 17 years old when he appeared on Britain's Got Talent and now, 13 years on, the talented singer has opened up about his life since the show
Jonathan Antoine and Charlotte Jaconelli on Britain's Got Talent (Image: PA)
Jonathan Antoine, who shot to fame on Britain's Got Talent, has taken a step back from the spotlight.
The hit ITV show is currently in its 18th series, with judges Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell, and Bruno Tonioli scouring for new talent poised to amaze at the Royal Variety Performance.Cast your mind back 13 years to the show's sixth series when a young Jonathan, just 17, captured the nation's heart with his enthralling audition. He and Charlotte Jaconelli delivered a stunning rendition of The Prayer, which drew high praise from Simon Cowell, likening Jonathan to the legendary Luciano Pavarotti, as reported by the Mirror.His journey on the show saw Jonathan consistently impressing with extraordinary performances, making it all the way to the finals before being pipped by Ashleigh and Pudsey's charming dog act.Yet, his appearances on the programme left audiences in awe of his classical vocal prowess, reports
Reflecting on his experience and the impact of not winning the competition, Jonathan shared with the Mirror: "I remember the feeling of the organs sinking. I didn't cry on stage."
Jonathan's insight gained from BGT was more profound than just about the competition: "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."
Despite finishing in second place, Jonathan and Charlotte's collaboration on BGT proved a springboard to success, securing a £1m recording contract with Simon Cowell's Syco label. Their inaugural album, Together, debuted in September 2012, followed by Perhaps Love in August 2013.
However, by February 2014, they parted ways professionally to pursue solo opportunities. Jonathan's solo aspirations, nurtured by Cowell during their time on BGT, influenced the decision.
"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. 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 has taken the classical music world by storm, with his album 'Tenore' ascending to the top of the Classical Artist Album chart and fans flocking to see him perform in the UK and the US. He keeps his followers in the loop via Instagram and recently shared a touching revelation about his autism, which was diagnosed shortly after celebrating his 27th birthday.
He divulged: "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."
In another reflective statement, Jonathan observed: "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'."
Jonathan continued to share his introspective thoughts, saying: "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'. 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 concluded with a message of empathy and kindness: "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."
In a separate conversation, Jonathan discussed his weight loss journey, revealing: "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."
He also shared the challenges he faced while in America, surrounded by fast food options, and how he has been working to regain control over his health through light exercise and mindful eating: "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."
Jonathan has experienced a revitalising shift in his approach to life since embracing a daily regimen of walking 10,000 steps, sometimes resorting to pacing back and forth in a room to hit the target.
Opening up about his past experiences, he confessed: "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."
