Beverley Lyons
BRITAINS Got Talent winner Jai McDowall says he will back Susan Boyle on BGT The Champions - and wants to thank Simon Cowell in person for giving him his big break.
Ayrshire born Jai, who won the fifth series of the telly talent show in 2011, and is on a mammoth Les Musicals 60 date tour with G4’s Jonathan Ansell, says he is team Susan all the way.
Jai, who will visit Glasgow this week as a guest of the Lord Provost for Mardi Gla celebrations, before returning on September 14 at the Kings Theatre said: “After Susan’s performance on America’s Got Talent I’m definitely backing Susan all the way to be the British champion. She’s the ultimate success story of BGT and the biggest star to come out of the show. I think if anyone deserves to be the champ it should be her.”
Jai would love to go down to London to watch Susan perform and if he had the opportunity, thank Simon Cowell in person for his big break eight years ago on the show.
He said: “I'd love to go down there and support Susan in the audience and it would be the perfect opportunity to go shake Simons hand and thank him for the career I now have. Without Simon and BGT I wouldn’t have the lifestyle I’ve got. He’s been a real dreammaker for many contestants including me. I still get to do what I love doing.”
Jai was misquoted at the time of winning as saying that Simon was anti Scottish.
The reports caused Simon to hit back at the star at the time but a now older and wiser Jai says: “It was a complete misunderstanding. I’ve always had a real respect and admiration for Simon. I'd love an opportunity to look him in the eye and tell him how grateful I am.”
Jai’s career has seen him perform around the world and there is now interest in him from America.
He has kept in touch with Susan Boyle and said he would love like to sing with her in a supergroup. He said: “Lewis Capaldi said he wanted to make a supergroup with Susan Boyle and Leon Jackson, I want in..where do I sign!. Maybe there's a record there for comic relief."