PUBLIC PUNISH Su-Bo AFTER FOUR-LETTER TIRADE AT FANS
SUSAN BOYLE'S defeat in the Britain's Got Talent final was being blamed last night on a backlash against her four-letter tantrum this week.
Millions of viewers went off the singer after her meltdown, switching their votes to shock winners Diversity.
The dramatic turnaround came just six days after she had beaten the eventual winners in the last of the semi-finals.
Yet Susan is still expected to rake in up to £8MILLION this year due to her popularity in America.
Her image was badly tarnished by the bust-up at a London hotel when she let rip with a foul- mouthed tirade against two fans and had to be calmed by police.
Susan was even booed by a section of last night's TV audience.
And viewers were left baffled when she made a chopping motion against her neck when judge Piers Morgan praised her performance of her audition smash I Dreamed A Dream from hit musical Les Miserables.
Asked what she would do next, Susan said: "I'd like to put an album out and who knows?"
She added: "What a journey." Asked to describe it in three words, she replied: "Unbelievable. Very humbling. Thank you for everything."
After the show host Declan Donnelly admitted he was stunned at the result.
He added: "It's a shock result, which was good for the show.
"People have been through mixed feelings about Susan. They loved her one minute and the next they went off her.
"But what people have to remember is we've only seen her sing live three times."
Co-host Ant McPartlin went on: "That lady has had the most phenomenal seven weeks. It might be a blessing in disguise that she didn't win."
Some viewers took to the internet to sum up their mood.
Blogger Nigel Langstone wrote: "I voted for Boyle on Sunday and Diversity tonight. The Boyle I loved in the heats had changed. She was no longer that lovely lady from Blackburn.
"She deserved to lose. She blew it BIG TIME."
Richard P wrote: "SuBo had to go. She was too overexposed."
Mikky wrote: "Bring on the backlash. SuBo's still going to get to make her album."
Even Susan's most famous fan appeared to desert her last night. Minutes after the result, Hollywood actress Demi Moore posted on website Twitter, saying: "Diversity was amazing and so incredibly humble. I love that!"
Before last night's final all her "Tweets" had been about Susan.
Yet in her hometown of Blackburn, West Lothian, friends, relatives and supporters all rallied behind the 48-year-old.
Children wore Susan masks and waved Saltires with her name emblazoned on them while neighbours - who'd put Good Luck Susan posters in their windows - were among 150 locals who flocked to Blackburn's community education centre to watch her in the TV show finale.
At the town's bowling club, meanwhile, fans wearing Susan masks and special SuBo's Our No1 T-shirts - supplied by the News of the World - showed their support.
They were devastated by the shock result. But pal Caroline Hunter, 50, still cracked open a bottle of bubbly to toast her friend. She said: "She was still the best singer in the competition. I think she did brilliantly well."
And local Angie Uttley, 49, added: "Susan has done herself, and Blackburn, proud."
Despite the result, tributes poured in from many who were won over by her valiant efforts.
First Minister Alex Salmond said: "She should hold her head up high. Her outstanding performances have catapulted her into a worldwide phenomenon. I'm sure she's got what it takes to have a hugely successful career."
And Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie added: "She's captured the hearts of everyone in Scotland. I'm sure everyone wishes her well for the future."
But Gerry Boyle, the closest of Susan's six brothers and sisters, attributed her erratic behaviour this week to being "fed to the lions" by BGT bosses.
Furious Gerry stormed: "They just left her own on her own. She has got a short-fuse and she just blew. Who wouldn't under that pressure? She's told me, 'I feel tired and stressed,' and that's understandable."
Gerry went on: "The people at Britain's Got Talent have been guilty of not dealing properly with a situation that's quite unique. You have to remember she's had to deal with television and the press, which she's never done before, on her own.
"They should have done a better job. They sent her into the lions' den totally unprepared.
"They shoved her out there and made her accessible and then sat back and watched while they got free publicity."
Last night show mogul Simon Cowell, who has a detailed strategy in place to make Susan a global star, put on a brave face after the stunning reversal.
He said: "I'm gutted for Susan. She was there at the top all the way through.
"But she was incredibly gracious. Susan has come out of this very well.
"She won over a lot of fans tonight, not just with her voice, but with her graciousness.
"She's got a massive future in front of her." Despite the backlash, Susan will rake in a fortune from:
A RECORD DEAL certain to top the £2.3million paid to Faryl Smith, the teen singer from last year's BGT. On top of that Susan will get around £1.35 per CD sold.
A percentage cut from a MOVIE of her life.
A BOOK of memoirs, out by Christmas, which should net her at least £500,000 alone.
Further millions from IMAGE RIGHTS, PRODUCT ENDORSEMENTS and TV APPEARANCES.
It means that tomorrow she can stop claiming her £129.64 a week benefits for the first time in 27 years.
A close confidante of Cowell said after last night's defeat: "You would not believe the offers we have on the table for Susan. They are all in place and ready to be signed. They don't care in America whether she wins a British TV show - they care about the woman they saw singing on YouTube."
Susan will use her wealth to buy the £80,000 council house where she lives with her cat.
She also plans to set up her siblings for life.
Cowell added: "Susan could become the biggest star I've discovered. It's the biggest phenomenon I've seen out of any of my shows."
This article has 8 comments
You folks who are talking about Simon and money, you should know by now that Simon can do no wrong, he don't need Susan to make money because he has all the money in the world, don't you know he is next to Ophra Winfrey/ if you listen to the new you will hear the facts about him. He is great and would not use anyone to make money because he has it and has no one to account to re his money, I think you all are just envious, so get a life and do something creative.
By luros. Posted June 7 2009 at 8:59 PM.
Susan, would love to see you in the US as well! First time I heard you I had woken up, hubby was playing your first song on the show. You sound like a Angel would sound. Incredible! Your walk is so graceful and I think you are Beautiful! It is what is inside not the outside. You look Fantastic! God Bless You. You have a lot of fans here in the US.
By sheebe. Posted June 6 2009 at 4:48 AM.
Good to see you looking happy & healthy. Can't wait to see you here in the US. Your voice is so amazing and a gift. Hang in there. Luv ya
By Lara . Posted June 6 2009 at 4:08 AM.
Bless her heart.Happy she is Back.
By richard. Posted June 6 2009 at 1:45 AM.
God Bless Susan, keep smiling and keep singing, just be yourself like you are that is what makes you, you.
By Cheryl Kerwin. Posted June 5 2009 at 9:38 PM.
God Bless you, Susan. Keep that lovely smile and the real you for the world. Waiting for your CD.
Love you, Susan. From San Angelo, Texas, USA
By Gay Edwards. Posted June 5 2009 at 9:25 PM.
well done to Diversity susan you were so graceful and humbling towards the winners and no matter what the papers write about you your one in a million and all the best for the future x
By Jamie Macdonald. Posted May 31 2009 at 11:11 AM.
The fact she's been overexposed is simon cowells fault!Hes so eager for publicity he doesnt mind who gets mown down in the process.He knows subo will still get her deals and he'll nodoubt get a hefty cut of it all.
Diversity were great tho
By Craig Davidson. Posted May 31 2009 at 9:34 AM.