Britain’s Got Talent’s champion Colin Thackery has revealed that he plans to give away his £250,000 prize after his victory.
The 89-year-old Chelsea Pensioner was “astonished” as he was crowned series 13 winner on Sunday night, beating masked magician X – revealed to be Marc Spelmann - in a tense top two.
Following his win, an emotional Colin told presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly that it was “what he wanted” to be able to perform for the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance, having served in the armed forces for 25 years.
But as well as the spot on the bill at the royal performance, Colin also scooped the £250,000 cash prize and has now revealed his plans to give the money away, starting with the Royal Hospital Chelsea where he lives.
“Well first of all the hospital, because we are a charity and we are always collecting for something,” he told Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on This Morning.
“We've got a new centre that we've been wanting to build, a visitors centre, activity centre. I'd love to think that I set the whole thing off.”
The singer, who wowed in the final with his rendition of Love Changes Everything, also told the show that he would give some of the winnings to his grandchildren.
Colin said: “I've got grandchildren wanting to get on the property ladder and all that sort of thing and of course A-Levels and all that.”
The army veteran moved audiences to tears with all three of his televised performances – including his first audition – as he sang in tribute to his late wife Joan, who passed away three years ago.
Before his first audition, during which he sang a very moving rendition of Wind Beneath My Wings, a VT explained Colin’s wife had died after being diagnosed with breast cancer. They had been married over 60 years.
This Morning airs weekdays at 10.30am on ITV.
