She's STILL got talent! Connie Talbot who wowed Britain's Got Talent judges aged just six is all grown up... and set to release fifth album after her debut sold 250,000 copies

THE CHOIR BOY

WHO? Andrew Johnston stole the show (coming third singing Pie Jesu) as a slightly chubby 13-year-old who had been bullied for his love of classical music.

WHEN? Series two, 2008.

Then and now: Andrew Johnston performing on Britain's Got Talent in 2008, left, and in 2012, pictured right

NOW: After two years out of the spotlight after his voice broke, Andrew joined the National Youth Choir. 

At the time he said: ‘I’m just another lad in there — no one focuses on Britain’s Got Talent and I’m happy about that,’ he says.

Andrew, from Dumfries,  struggled during the time his voice changed. Initially, his singing teacher thought he was going to be a countertenor. Then it dropped to tenor  and, after a few months, a  high baritone.

He continued: ‘It’s very difficult not to push it, I have to let it mature at its own rate,’ he says. ‘Even now I don’t know what my voice is going to do.’

Andrew has since been signed to Syco and has one album One Voice. 

THE DANCING DOG TRAINER

WHO? Kate Nicholas was 16 when she and her six-year-old dancing dog Gin came seventh in the final. She touched the nation with her confession that Gin was her best friend, which led to her being bullied at school.

WHEN? Series two, 2008.

Kate Nicholas was 16 when she and her six-year-old dancing dog Gin came seventh in the final

Kate Nicholas pictured with her dog Gin while practicing a dance routine 

NOW: Gaining international attention and the interest of Hollywood producers taught Kate one thing — a life in showbusiness was not what she wanted.

Reflecting on her time seeking animal fame in America for star dog Gin, a border collie, Kate from Norbury, Cheshire, admits: ‘I didn’t go on the show to become famous. I just enjoyed working with my dogs rather than being in the limelight.

‘Dancing with dogs was always my hobby. But I found that it became less fun when it became my job as well. There was no definition between my job and my hobby.’

It was that feeling that resulted in her making the difficult decision to stop Gin, then ten, performing publicly a year ago, a few months before she decided to quit herself.

‘Having Gin kept me grounded — she was always the most important thing,’ says Kate.

‘I felt because of what she did for me and the opportunities she gave me, it was not fair to keep her working.

‘I decided I would rather  give her a happy retirement and let her enjoy her last years having fun, rather than put-ting up with loud audiences and being under pressure to  do routines.’

Kate did continue to perform professionally with her younger dogs Ice and Chris, but things didn’t feel the same and she returned to her dream of serving the country in the Army.

JACKO'S FAVOURITE

WHO? Shaheen Jafargholi was 12 when he came seventh singing Michael Jackson’s Who’s Lovin’ You.

WHEN? Series three, 2009.

Singer Shaheen Jafargholi performing on Britain's Got Talent in 2009, left, and at the Michael Jackson public memorial service held at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles later that same year, right

NOW: Shaheen had no idea one of the most famous (and controversial) pop stars of all time was avidly watching his performances on Britain’s Got Talent.

In fact, it was only after Shaheen was asked to perform at Michael Jackson’s memorial — which was watched by millions around the world — following his death in 2009 that he learned what the King of Pop had planned for him musically.

‘After the funeral, Michael’s choreographer came up to me and said it was Michael’s plan for him and me to sing Heal The World every night during his tour at the O2 in London,’ said Shaheen. ‘That would have been incredible.’

But the Jackson family’s request for him to sing at the public memorial changed Shaheen’s life anyway. It resulted in him signing a record deal with Island Records and launching an online reality show called The Real Shaheen. 

THE VOICE OF AN ANGEL

WHO? Aged 12, classical singer Faryl Smith became an international sensation following her fifth place performance of Ave Maria.

WHEN? Series two, 2008.

Singer Faryl Smith has performed with her idol Katherine Jenkins - twice

NOW: Faryl is one of the only aspiring singers to reject the offer of a record contract from Simon Cowell. The impressive mezzo-soprano instead signed a £2.3 million deal with Decca Records here and in the U.S., because of their expertise in classical music.

She was also following the advice of her heroine Katherine Jenkins, who invited Faryl to perform with  her twice. 

But after her second Decca album reached only number 56 in the British album charts, Faryl, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, asked to take some time out for her A-levels.