Sydnie Christmas, Britain’s Got Talent 2024 winner, recently stunned fans by revealing that she nearly threw up during both the semi-final and final of the show, opening up about the intense pressure behind the glittering performances that captivated millions.
While her stunning rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow earned her the coveted £250,000 prize, Sydnie shared some surprising details about the money, as well as the whirlwind life that has followed her BGT victory.
Despite the substantial sum, Sydnie has kept every penny untouched, placing the prize in a savings account for future stability. She explained, “With the prize money, I’ve put it all away in a savings account because I want to save for a house at some point. All I ever wanted was stability, to be able to move on in the future and one day have children and things like that, so now, luckily enough, I’ve been given that.”
Even with her winnings safely stored, Sydnie’s post-BGT life has been anything but idle. She has wrapped up work on her debut album, performed at several high-profile events, and taken on a semi-regular role as a competition presenter on ITV daytime TV. One standout moment was performing at the Blackpool Illuminations, which she described as “just unbelievable. I heard there was 80,000 people there, but then I also heard there was 100,000 people. It was just ridiculous, best experience ever.”
Sydnie has been candid about the intense nerves she faced on BGT. She recalled the repeated scheduling of her performances last, saying, “They kept putting me on last, I was like, ‘guys, this is not fair two days in a row, oh my goodness.’” The waiting period before the winner’s announcement, she admitted, was almost too much to bear: “I nearly had a full-on panic attack.”
Despite the anxiety, she has embraced performing live, returning to the BGT stage to sing with friend and former contestant Loren Allred, known as the voice behind Never Enough from The Greatest Showman. Reflecting on the moment, Sydnie posted, “Full circle moment going back to where it all started, but to be able to do it with a friend makes it all that much sweeter. I will fly the @bgt flag for the rest of my days. I’m forever grateful. And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.”
Beyond television, Sydnie has been making her mark on the West End. After wowing audiences as the villainous Cruella De Vil in the musical adaptation of 101 Dalmatians, she has her sights set on another iconic role: Sally Bowles in Cabaret. “A lot of my dream roles probably won’t come back on the West End, which is a shame, but something I would really love to do is Cabaret,” Sydnie told the Daily Star. “I am always trying to feed the universe what I want – it’s the power of positive thinking.”
Sydnie thrives on challenging roles that push her outside her comfort zone. On Tuesday, she headlined London’s Adelphi Theatre, performing classics including Frank Sinatra’s My Way, and she is now focused on an album of original songs. “I’ve been writing songs since I was 14. It’s nice to approach songwriting as an adult and see what I have to say… it’s definitely going to be different from what people have heard from me before,” she said.
