Full Breakdown
Hawkstone Farmers' Choir Wins Britain's Got Talent 2026, Elevating Farming Mental Health
6/2/2026, 9:22:40 PM
The Win and Immediate Rewards
On 30 May 2026, the Hawkstone Farmers' Choir became the first choir to win ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, earning a £250,000 cash prize and a slot at the Royal Variety Show before King Charles III.
Formation, Purpose and Participants
Jeremy Clarkson created the choir in 2025 for a Cotswolds-based brewing campaign. It brings together 34 farmers from across the UK to combat isolation and promote mental-health awareness, a sector flagged by the Farm Safety Foundation for 47 suicides in 2024 (7 % rise). Key participants include founder Jeremy Clarkson, spokesperson Katryna Shell (Northumberland), farmer Ben Brooke (Cambridgeshire), member James Florey (Oxfordshire), judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, KSI, and club chairman Paul Fowler.
Data Highlights
The choir performed the original song “This Is Home”. Their win adds a £250,000 prize to a planned donation to mental-health charities.
Official Reactions and On-the-Ground Views
Simon Cowell, who had initially doubted the original song, later praised the performance as a successful risk. Amanda Holden was moved to tears by the harmonies. KSI said he would add the song to his Spotify playlist. Clarkson posted an Instagram video expressing excitement and noting his nerves. Choir members Katryna Shell described the victory as unreal and urged farmers to speak up. Ben Brooke said the group gave him extra support in a lonely profession. James Florey emphasized that the win is about spreading the mental-health message rather than the prize. Andy Fussell highlighted pressures such as money, weather and isolation, urging open conversation. Sally Ann-Spence called the experience life-changing.
Criticism and Public Debate
Social-media users criticised the win and Clarkson’s role, prompting a reported “BGT backlash” in the Oxford Mail; no specific objections were detailed.
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
The Sun reported celebrations lasted until 4:30 am, while other outlets only note a pub gathering. While most reports state the choir has 34 members, a few articles do not specify the exact size, leaving a minor gap in verification. Several sources also lack reliability ratings.
What’s Next
The choir will record “This Is Home”, perform at the Royal Variety Show, aim for a Glastonbury slot, receive mental-health training and donate part of the prize to charities.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This is for all the farmers out there, for anybody that’s struggling, it’s not a taboo subject, if you’re not OK, speak up, this is for the farmers.” — Katryna Shell, choir member
- “Cowell called the performance "absolutely stunning", "heartfelt" and "joyous".” — Simon Cowell, judge
- “That was incredible wasn't it?” — Jeremy Clarkson, Instagram video
- “The fact that we have been given the opportunity to portray our message on a wider scale has meant everything to us from the start," said Brooke.” — Ben Brooke, choir member
