‘i had it in my head that i wouldn’t get anywhere’

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Before she stepped out on the Britain’s Got Talent stage, Sydnie Christmas had all but given up on her dreams of superstardom.

Despite her amazing talent, the 28-year-old singer from Gravesham in Kent, had lost hope of building a show business career and was paying her rent by working as a receptionist at a fitness centre.

Now, after her magical performance of Somewhere Over The Rainbow in the Britain’s Got Talent final, Sydnie is all set for stardom — and £250,000 richer.

“I’d lost confidence in my talent,” Sydnie tells OK!. “I just thought my style was too old school. I had it in my head that I wouldn’t make it, that I wouldn’t get anywhere.”

Now Sydnie is booked to perform for King Charles and Queen Camilla at this year’s Royal Variety Performance in November.

With her win watched by 6.5 million viewers, Sydnie is brimming with confidence and is not nervous about performing for royalty. However, when she meets the monarch she admits she’ll struggle not to break with tradition and give him a hug.

“I’m not nervous, I’m so excited,” smiled Sydnie. “When I come to shake their hands, they’ll be lucky if I don’t cuddle them!”

Sydnie’s first audition for BGT saw her tell judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Bruno Tonioli and Alesha Dixon, “I’m trying to be in the West End, I just want to sing,” before blowing them away with Tomorrow from Annie. While Simon confessed he hated the song, he was soon giving her a standing ovation, while Amanda leapt up and pressed her golden buzzer, guaranteeing Sydnie a place in the semi-finals.

Now Sydnie considers Amanda to be a friend and is overwhelmed by the support of the judges. “Amanda is a lovely woman,” says Sydnie, “She’s like the best mate you didn’t know that you had. You talk to her and it’s like you’ve known her all your life.”

After her win, the judges told Sydnie they had been rooting for her all along and praying the public would vote for her. “I didn’t realise how much they believe