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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Katy Clifton

Britain's Got Talent's Lee Ridley says people engage with him more since winning ITV variety show

Lee Ridley attends the Writers' Guild Awards 2019 (Picture: Getty Images)

Lost Voice Guy Lee Ridley has said winning Britain's Got Talent changed his life as people now "seem more comfortable talking to a disabled person".

The comedian, who has cerebral palsy and uses a communication aid for his stand-up routine, won the ITV variety show last year.

"Winning has changed my life in so many ways," he told Radio Times. "It's enabled me to go on tour and write a book, but one of the best things to happen is that people are engaging with me a lot more

"I'm always getting stopped for selfies and, for the first time, people seem comfortable talking to a disabled person."

Lee Ridley was crowned BGT winner in 2018 (PA Wire/PA Images)

The 38-year-old was the first comedian to win the programme.

He said: "It's always a risk when you put yourself in the limelight like this.

"I'm quite an edgy comedian and I had to tone down my material for Saturday night television, so I wasn't sure how well it would go down with the Britain's Got Talent audience.

"I'm really glad that I did Britain's Got Talent, though, and it ended up going better than I expected!"

This week's Radio Times is out on Tuesday.

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