If you’re anything like us, Britain’s Got Talent 2022 had you glued to your seat every weekend last spring.
The fifteenth series of the ITV reality show introduced viewers to a whole host of incredible acts, including the precious seven-year-old poet Aneeshwar Kunchala and American singer Loren Allred.
It also saw the return of Simon Cowell, whose electric bike accident had forced him to miss judging the live shows of the previous series.
But, most importantly, it also saw comedian Axel Blake crowned the winner after wowing judges and audiences alike with his consistently stellar stand-up.
The 34-year-old comedian delivered a brilliant monologue about London life for his first audition, cracking jokes about everything from the city’s Underground to the prevalence of contactless payments.
His effortless wit earned him high praise from judge David Walliams, who hailed the performance as “brilliantly funny and original.”
Blake was rewarded further by Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer and sailed through to the Semi Finals, where he gained even more adoration with his quick observations on fan mail and work gossip. He went on to win the entire competition, beating teenage ventriloquist Jamie Leahey in the Final with his gags about his short prison sentence and his nosy neighbours.
Blake gushed his gratitude after the news was announced, revealing that “words can’t even explain” how it feels to be named a Britain’s Got Talent champion. As well as receiving the coveted title, the dad-of-two took home a £250,000 cash prize and the opportunity to perform at the renowned Royal Variety Performance.
“I am shaking,” he added. “Thank you everyone for voting for me. It means the world to me.”
What is Axel Blake doing now?
Axel Blake has been a busy man since his Britain’s Got Talent win, booking everything from TV gigs to live performances for the Royal Family over the past year.
He appeared on the CBBC entertainment show, Saturday Mash Up Live, in July 2022, just a few months before competing in the ITVX wordplay game, Celebrity Lingo, alongside fellow comedian Ellie Taylor. He went on to bag a slot on Don’t Hate the Playaz, joining host Jordan Stephens on an episode of the comedy series in November.
Blake ended the year on a high note, showcasing his talents for Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex at the Royal Variety Performance in December 2022.
The London comic left the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh giggling with his effortless act, which included sharp one-liners on TK Maxx, relationship conflict and meeting family members for the first time. Blake tried his hand at landing a second TV triumph by entering America’s Got Talent: All Stars in 2023, but unfortunately failed after being booted out in the preliminaries.
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