You can watch Boyle’s full audition on Britain’s Got Talent below:
He said: “Of course I had the ability to cut all of that stuff out but it was a bit of a wake-up call. You can’t judge a book by its cover.
“We do look disgusting but you have to hold your hands up at that moment and go, ‘A lot of people are going to realise in about 24 hours that we are just horrible’.”
Susan previously spoke about the experience in an interview with the Irish Daily Mirror, admitting she felt like “an act in a freak show” before she began singing.
She said: “It felt quite suffocating, almost as though I was an act in a freak show, and that hurt.”
Susan continued: “It was incredibly difficult to come to terms with for a time, but the positives have far outweighed the negatives.”
Recalling the atmosphere inside the auditorium, Susan added: “Everyone was laughing at me; they wondered who this daft woman with the crazy hair was … and I had made a bad choice in clothes, so no one had high expectations.”
But the audition turned Susan into one of the defining reality television contestants of the 2000s, launching a music career that has included chart-topping albums, international tours and performances for world leaders and royalty.
Her debut album I Dreamed A Dream became one of the fastest-selling debut records in UK history following her appearance on Britain’s Got Talent, the same programme that helped establish Simon as one of television’s most recognisable entertainment figures after the success of The X Factor, Pop Idol and American Idol.
In recent months, Susan has undergone a public image refresh, sharing more frequent updates across social media and posting photographs alongside celebrities including Elton John, Peter Kay, Lionel Richie and Marcus Wareing.
Susan Boyle attending the Pride of Britain Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, October 20, 2025. Photo / Getty Images
Susan has also showcased a new blonde hairstyle and promoted “Subo” branded merchandise to her followers online.
The singer, who suffered a minor stroke in 2022 before returning to the Britain’s Got Talent stage the following year, has continued to receive support from fans who regard her original audition as one of the defining moments in British television history.