Britain’s Got Talent’s Bruno Tonioli breaks down in tears at blind singers with incredible backstory
BRITAIN’S Got Talent judge Bruno Tonioli breaks down in tears on tomorrow’s show over a blind operatic duo and their remarkable life story.
Bruno, 68, is overcome during a spell-binding audition from soprano Denise Leigh and pianist Stefan Andrusyschyn.
They told how they met on a train 18 years ago when Stefan asked Denise for the time, not realising she was blind too.
Denise, 52, who has a tiny amount of vision in her left eye, said: “I just thought ‘Stop hitting on me’!”
When they got off she saw his cane and thought: “Oh my God he is blind too.”
Incredibly they were then booked on the same gig.
Denise recalled: “I thought I won’t tell him I’m the woman on the train because I was a bit rude to him.”
Stefan, 40, added: “Anyway, reader, she married him!”
Denise also revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 and got the all-clear just before their audition.
But the treatment changed her voice. She said: “I’m having to rebuild it.”
The pair, from Stoke-on-Trent, get a standing ovation on the ITV show with an emotive performance of Climb Every Mountain from The Sound of Music.
Wiping away tears, Bruno says: “I’m inspired by you, I’ve learnt something today about your positive state of mind. You are an example.”
Also there was their son Demetri, 11, guide dog Tilly plus two of Denise’s kids from a previous relationship, Michael, 28, and Sam, 26.
Denise said she was “absolutely shaking by the time we’d finished”, and did not realise Bruno was sobbing until he spoke.
She added: “I’m really pleased I made a grown man cry!”
Meanwhile, a schoolboy struck by a brain tumour has rung the bell to mark the end of his chemo days after appearing on BGT.
Samuel Bourdillon, 13, was part of Ravi’s Dream Team choir who got the golden buzzer last month.
The teen, from Chatham, Kent, is preparing for the live semis after 19 months of gruelling treatment.
- WATCH Denise and Stefan on BGT tomorrow at 7.40pm on ITV1.