A mum who posed as a hopeful on Britain’s Got Talent in order to land her daughter an audition has spoken about her past where she was jailed over a £6,000 cannabis stash.
Claire Connolly appeared on last night’s show (April 22) where she surprised her daughter Tia by encouraging her to audition in her place. The 15-year-old went on to wow the judges with a rendition of Whitney Houston’s I Didn’t Know My Own Strength.
Ahead of her daughter’s audition, Claire, 33, told the panel: "She's got me through some very hard times in my life.” Claire is now hoping people will judge her daughter on her incredible talent, rather than her mother’s troubled past.
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In an interview with The Mirror, Claire revealed: “I did go to prison and that’s something I have to live with – the stigma follows me around. Of course I’m sorry.
"At the time I was angry… angry at life. But I’m doing everything I can to make sure Tia doesn’t make the same mistakes I did.
“I’ve tried to give my children the best chance – and I’m so proud that Tia is grabbing that chance with both hands.”
Claire, who hails from Accrington in Lancashire but now lives in Liverpool, was arrested in 2012 after cannabis was found in Celebrations tins at her home.
She was later jailed for 12 months for allowing her home to be used to supply drugs, as well as a second charge of affray for assaulting a woman in a drunken fight while on bail.
But she told how being a mum to Tia and Ayannah, nine, changed everything.
Claire said: “Going to prison made me realise I needed to get away from my old life.
"Now my children are my life – and I want Tia to get the chance to shine.”
Following her audition, Tia advanced to the next round of the talent show after receiving four yeses from the judges. “That’s how you do it,” Simon remarked. “I absolutely love this audition.”
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