Farmers’ Choir Stuns Britain’s Got Talent, Releases Charity Record
A heartwarming performance on national television has propelled the Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir into the spotlight, resonating deeply with fans, judges, and even television personality Jeremy Clarkson. The choir’s moving rendition earned them a coveted Golden Buzzer from judge Amanda Holden, securing their spot in the upcoming semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent.
Beyond their impressive on-stage success, the choir has now launched a new record, with all proceeds dedicated to the mental health charity Shout. This initiative coincides with Mental Health Awareness Week, highlighting the choir’s commitment to supporting the wellbeing of those in the agricultural sector. The profits from their vinyl release will directly benefit Shout, providing crucial assistance to farmers facing mental health challenges.
The Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir, now under the stewardship of farmers Simon Gwilliam and Lizzy Dean, owes its genesis to Jeremy Clarkson. The former Top Gear presenter initially assembled the group for an advertisement promoting his Hawkstone beer range, seeking out agricultural workers with a talent for singing.
The newly released record is aptly titled “The Banned One,” a nod to a previous Hawkstone advert that faced broadcasting restrictions for not adhering to certain standards.
Victoria Hornby, the chief executive of Shout, expressed her profound gratitude for the choir’s support. She stated, “The Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir has given an incredible voice to the mental health challenges faced by so many in the agricultural community. We are immensely grateful to be the charity partner for this project. The funds raised from this vinyl will be vital, enabling us to train more volunteers and be there for anyone in the farming community who is struggling to cope. It will save lives.”
“The Banned One” is currently available for purchase on the Hawkstone website for £7.50.
Jeremy Clarkson himself was visibly moved by the choir’s performance, breaking his silence on the group he helped establish. Taking to Instagram, the star of Clarkson’s Farm revealed he had watched the audition and was overjoyed to see them receive the Golden Buzzer, propelling them into the live shows.
The choir delivered a powerful choral arrangement of Elbow’s “One Day Like This” to the judging panel, comprising Amanda Holden, KSI, Alesha Dixon, and Simon Cowell.
Clarkson, 65, shared his delight with his followers, lauding the “fantastic” choir, which is comprised of farmers from across the United Kingdom. He explained his decision to watch the show, stating, “I watched Britain’s Got Talent tonight for the first time because the Hawkstone choir were on. They were just fantastic. These guys are all farmers and they work incredibly hard for really incredibly small rewards and to see them all on that stage with all that love in the room made my heart sing.”
Fighting back emotion, he admitted, “I actually welled up, and thank you Amanda Holden for pressing that Golden Buzzer. It shows that I think people quite like farmers, and they were very, very good so well done, all of you. I’m a very happy man tonight because the choir is fab. That’s it.”
The comments section of Clarkson’s Instagram video was inundated with messages of support from fans, praising the choir and commending Clarkson for his role in bringing them together.
The Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir’s journey on Britain’s Got Talent took a significant turn over the weekend when their audition secured them the Golden Buzzer, fast-tracking them to the live semi-finals. Tears flowed freely among the judges and the audience as Amanda Holden, 55, pressed the button, signalling their automatic progression.
This group of 32 farmers and agricultural workers, hailing from various parts of the country, were initially united by Jeremy Clarkson and have been performing together since 2024.
Amanda Holden was deeply impressed, telling the choir, “As you started, I completely welled up. I felt so much power. I love the whole community. I love how you’ve all got together and work your a**es off. You work so hard every single day. You absolutely smashed it and I can’t wait to see what you do in the semi-finals. Congratulations.”
Guest judge Stacey Solomon echoed this sentiment, remarking on the profound impact of choral singing: “I don’t think anyone will understand the power of a choir unless they’ve been in a choir. It’s such an incredible space to release and just letting it go. I’m so grateful that I got to experience that in real life, so thank you and congrats.”
Alesha Dixon highlighted the therapeutic nature of their performance: “Music is so powerful, it’s like therapy. And you could really feel that. It sounded beautiful.”
KSI added his admiration for their diverse talents: “Wow! Talk about multi-talented. Farming and then singing. Honestly, it felt like you belonged there. Congratulations and we’ll see you soon.”
The Hawkstone Farmers Choir is now set to compete in the live semi-finals for the chance to win a £250,000 prize and a prestigious spot at this year’s Royal Variety Performance.
Clarkson had previously shared his thoughts with the Daily Mail, stating, “I wasn’t surprised to see Amanda moved to tears by the choir’s performance at their audition, because I’ve known for a while now that you can plough soil and shovel dung all day and still have a sweet, sweet voice. To see the choir go from a half-formed idea to a musical phenomenon performing on national TV fills me with more pride than I can say and I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for them in the semi-finals. I reckon you’ll hear cheers of support from every other farm in the land too.”
Before their audition at Birmingham’s Hippodrome, choir member Katryna Shell explained the choir’s origins: “Jeremy Clarkson did a thing… Jeremy brought us together to sing, and it’s just really been amazing for us all.” She elaborated on the unique challenges faced by those in agriculture: “Every single one of us is in agriculture in some way or another. This isn’t our day jobs; we’re usually out in the fields. We work by ourselves day in and day out, sometime 16, 17 hours a day. This has brought us together. We’re not singers by nature. It’s brought us as a family – we have one thing that unites us and that is farming. We love what we do but it can be incredibly hard: really lonely, very isolating. To do this all together, it’s meant the world to us.”
Following their remarkable performance, Kathryna, who hails from Northumberland, reflected on the choir’s evolution: “The choir has turned into something so much more than singing… We have come together as a community, something I didn’t even anticipate. The choir is filled with all sorts of people with varying ages, singing experience, parts of the country but we all have farming linking us together – it’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.”
Britain’s Got Talent continues its run next Saturday at 6:45pm on ITV1, ITVX, and STV.
