What Has Happened To Susan Boyle?

So many thousands of people have turned to TV talent shows in the hope of forging a career in what they're skilled at. However, it's rare that anyone from these shows becomes a real superstar. There's proof that it does happen sometimes, though - just look at Susan Boyle.

Competing on the reality competition series 'Britain's Got Talent' brought her worldwide fame and immense adoration. It really changed her life for the better, especially with all the strife she'd experienced leading up to that point. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean everything has been perfect since she became an overnight sensation.

Susan Boyle's first two albums sold immensely well in the US

So many people dream of having the reception that Susan Boyle did after appearing on 'Britain's Got Talent.' Viewers were seemingly blown away by her vocal prowess, enough for her debut album to sell more than 10 million copies around the world. Over 3 million of those records were reportedly purchased in the US alone, with it topping the charts.

This wasn't a one-time success either. The following year, her sophomore effort - 'The Gift' - also made it to number one, shifting at least 2.180 million copies in the US. Considering that Susan Boyle hadn't even competed in a show made for American audiences, her stateside success was truly remarkable. She was seemingly the next Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood.

Other kids reportedly bullied Susan Boyle a lot in school

Susan Boyle's success is all the more impressive because she had grown up believing that she wouldn't amount to much. It was something that she was reportedly told throughout her younger years, with the singer reportedly being a frequent victim of bullying in schools. She told the Daily Mail that she was often picked on for being "different."

Susan admitted that her mom had to come to the school frequently during her childhood because the bullying was so persistent. Apparently, it was often people calling her names or saying hurtful things to her, although it did also allegedly become violent at times. We imagine that those childhood years aren't ones that Boyle misses a great deal.

Susan was lucky to be alive after her mom developed eclampsia

One of the main reasons that other children bullied Susan was because she was told that she had a learning disability. This was supposedly due to the singer suffering from brain damage when she was born. Doctors claimed that she was starved of oxygen when she was born, which meant she would live with some cognitive trouble forever.

Apparently, Boyle is lucky to be alive after her mother developed eclampsia during the pregnancy. Both of them nearly lost their lives, and that wasn't even Susan's first brush with the end. Earlier on in the pregnancy, her mom had apparently been advised by doctors to get a termination because she was 45 and giving birth came with serious risks.

She struggled with epileptic seizures quite frequently as a child

Fortunately for Susan Boyle, her mom was a very devout woman and cared greatly about sticking to her faith. She refused to get rid of her unborn baby, willing to face the risks for the sake of bringing Susan into the world. That is something the singer is forever grateful for and allowed the two to share a close bond.

Unfortunately, as much as Boyle appreciated what her mom did for her, that didn't help with the bullying at school. If people weren't picking on for her supposedly being slow, they were coming for her epilepsy, a problem that Susan told the Daily Mail about in 2011. Apparently, she used to have seizures quite often as a child.

The teachers reportedly bullied her more than they helped her

Kids can be cruel sometimes, which is why bullying has been such a frequent problem over the years. Fortunately, plenty of teachers seek to help students who are the victims of such cruelty and endeavor to stop it from happening again. Not Susan Boyle's teachers, though. No, apparently, they were just as bad as the kids sometimes.

Susan went to school in the '60s and '70s at a time when there was far less understanding of learning issues. They seemingly couldn't comprehend why Susan behaved the way that she did, with the singer telling the Mirror that she was often told to "shut up." Apparently, she would "get the belt every day" because she was considered disruptive.

Her father could allegedly have his abusive moments, thanks to his temper

School was hard for Susan Boyle because there was seemingly nowhere she felt welcome. Luckily, she only had to be there for so many hours a day before she could return to what she calls a "loving home." Unfortunately, while her parents may have loved her, that doesn't mean it was always smooth sailing in the Boyle house.

She told the Daily Mail that her father "had a temper" that she sometimes got on the wrong end of. She revealed that he occasionally "hurt" her, potentially as a result of PTSD from serving as a sergeant major in World War II. At least he was allegedly apologetic about his behavior and never intended to cause his daughter harm.

Her parents could sometimes be overly protective, especially with relationships

For the most part, Susan Boyle's father was quite protective. It was the same situation with her mother, who apparently often treated her daughter "like a bird with a broken wing." They knew that Susan wasn't the same as her siblings, so they tried to look out for her in a way they didn't necessarily do with the other kids.

Susan told the Daily Mail that her parents "thought they were doing the right thing." However, it could go too far sometimes, especially when it came to her relationships. Her dad was reportedly still getting involved when she was 25, with the man not approving of a boyfriend that his daughter had at the time.

Boyle was once engaged after dating a man for seven weeks

For Susan Boyle, relationships haven't always been as important to her as they might be to a lot of other women. However, that doesn't mean the singer hasn't explored a few romances in the past, with one even going quite the distance. She told the Daily Mail in 2009 that she had once been engaged to a man named John.

She considered this relationship to be the first proper one that she ever had, and it was apparently quite a whirlwind romance. After just seven weeks together, the guy reportedly got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. The proposal probably felt quite sudden for Susan, but she seemingly said yes nonetheless.

Susan Boyle's engagement ended before she could tie the knot

Anyone familiar with Susan Boyle will know that she isn't married and that no man has ever put a ring on her finger. Despite John supposedly being interested enough in the singer to pop the question, he reportedly got cold feet before the actual wedding. That may not be so surprising, given they hadn't even kissed properly by the proposal.

The incident was reportedly quite devastating for Susan because it apparently knocked her confidence pretty significantly. She reportedly felt "unattractive" after she returned to the single life, and it allegedly took years for her to begin to trust people romantically again. She supposedly stayed optimistic, though, believing that there might be another relationship - a better one - waiting down the line.

Her mother's concerns for her may have left Susan with anxiety

We know that Susan Boyle shared quite a close bond with her mother. Although the singer believes that the woman "had no favorites" when it came to her kids, there was no denying how protective she was of Susan. Unfortunately, it seems this sometimes had a negative impact on Boyle's mental well-being, as it may have left her with anxiety.

According to the Daily Mail, Bridget Boyle was quite concerned about her daughter's ability to live on her own. Those fears seemingly rubbed off on Susan, who began to question what she was capable of and started to become anxious. According to the singer, her mom dealt with anxiety as well, so it's perhaps no wonder that she was worried.

She was devastated by her mom's passing and struggled with loneliness

Despite Bridget's overprotectiveness and tendency to worry, Susan loved her like nothing else. So, the star was reportedly broken when her mom passed away in 2007. Bridget was apparently her daughter's best friend, and she'd already lost her father eight years earlier. So, with her mother gone, the singer felt an immense sense of loneliness that she struggled to overcome.

According to an interview with the Mirror, Boyle had no one around "except my cat Pebbles." She told the publication that the loss was powerful and "as if a part of you is taken away." That reportedly messed with her confidence quite significantly, something that she did thankfully start to overcome with a bit of time.

It was Susan's mother that reportedly encouraged her to sing

Bridget Boyle did so much for her youngest daughter, including encouraging her to sing. During an interview with the Irish News in 2019, Susan confessed that her mother was the one who always pushed her to "strive for a music career." If it wasn't for that, Boyle might never have blown the world away on 'Britain's Got Talent.'

Apparently, music was something that united members of the Boyle family, with Susan admitting that everyone in her family could sing. Her parents reportedly harbored dreams of becoming like the Von Trapps in the musical drama film 'The Sound of Music.' However, it wasn't to be, with Susan the only one to eventually make a career out of singing.

Susan reportedly tried out for a dozen other shows before Britain's Got Talent

Susan Boyle was reportedly active as a singer from a young age. Initially, she would perform in her church or a school club, but as she grew older, she sought ways to turn it into a career. That includes auditioning for the music series 'Michael Barrymore's My Kind of People,' which she appeared on in 1995.

Of course, it was more than a decade later before she became the star that the world knows her as today. Apparently, Susan tried out for a bunch of other shows before she blew viewers away on 'Britain's Got Talent.' The Daily Mail states that she auditioned for 12 other shows before she found the right one for her.

She was apparently willing to blow her savings on her music career

It's not easy making it as a singer. Sometimes, having talent isn't always enough, which is why it took Susan Boyle so long to get people's attention. She was willing to fight for the opportunity to have a singing career, though, which is why she allegedly once used all of her savings to record a professional demo.

This was in 1998 when Susan recorded a handful of tracks at Heartbeat Studio in Midlothian. It included songs like 'Cry Me a River,' which Boyle ended up including on her debut album. Susan sent copies of the demo to various record companies, talent competitions, and TV stations. However, people still weren't listening to hear her out.

Susan Boyle considered auditioning for The X Factor but turned it down

In the US, the reality competition series 'The X Factor' wasn't that big of a hit, only managing three series before its cancellation. Across the Atlantic, though, it used to be one of the biggest shows on UK television. That was especially the case around the time that Susan Boyle auditioned for 'Britain's Got Talent.'

However, although she'd allegedly once had plans to audition for 'The X Factor,' Susan ultimately abandoned that idea. Apparently, she believed that the show was too focused on selecting people based on their looks, something she felt would work against her. So, she went on 'Britain's Got Talent' instead, something that her mom had apparently previously encouraged her to do.

The immediate reaction to Susan on Britain's Got Talent wasn't positive

Even though Susan reportedly felt like 'Britain's Got Talent' was the better option, she nearly turned that down as well. In this instance, she supposedly felt that she was too old to go on the show. However, she was ultimately convinced to appear in the series, where Susan sang publicly for the first time since she lost her mom.

The experience must have been incredibly nerve-wracking, especially with the reception that Susan initially received from the audience. It was clear that people weren't expecting great things from her when she stepped out on the stage, what with their laughs and wolf whistles. The second she started singing, though, the change was immediate, with Boyle receiving instant applause.

Susan Boyle's audition became a huge hit on the internet

It wasn't just the people in the audience who immediately misjudged Susan Boyle based on how she presented herself in the audition before she started singing. Many viewers at home likely did the same. Fortunately for Susan, that very much worked in her favor. The fact that no one expected her to sing the way she did changed everything.

Within 72 hours, her audition reportedly received 2.5 million views on YouTube, which was pretty significant in 2009. After a week, it had reportedly been watched 66 million times, having over 120 million views by the end of the year. That was apparently three times higher than the platform's second-most-popular of 2009. People had fallen in love with her.

Boyle reportedly couldn't leave her house because of the press

For Susan Boyle, having so many people resonate with her audition must have been incredible. She'd spent so much of her life wanting to be taken seriously for her music, and now it was finally happening. However, that didn't mean the newfound fame wasn't a little overwhelming, especially with the press reportedly hounding her outside of her house.

The singer reportedly couldn't leave her home because of how many reporters wanted to talk to her. That would be a lot for most people to handle, especially with such a sudden change. As Susan Boyle went from a nobody in the public eye to a superstar overnight, there was little time to adjust to her newfound fame.

Susan was worried that certain friendships wouldn't last because of her fame

For a singer, fame is largely a good thing. After all, you can't forge a successful career in music if people don't know who you are. However, fame also has its setbacks, as Susan Boyle soon found out. Not only did she struggle to leave her house because of the press, but she also began to doubt certain friendships.

In 2011, she told the Daily Mail that she had "insecurity that my friends won't be my friends after a while." She was seemingly worried that certain people were only interested in her while she had immense fame around the world. Susan was apparently so concerned about it that she told the publication it was sometimes affecting her sleep.

She struggled to stop feeling like a failure years after her audition

What Susan achieved with her 'Britain's Got Talent' audition is what so many singers just like her hope for. After years of trying to be noticed, she finally had the world willing to listen to her. Unfortunately, when you've spent such a long time being rejected, it can be difficult to embrace such a significant change.

Boyle told the Daily Mail that she went into the TV talent show with "such a feeling of failure" because of everything that had happened up to that point. This was something that was still apparently a part of her several years later because it had become the "pattern of [her] life." Susan found it difficult to break.

Despite the fan reception, Susan Boyle didn't actually win Britain's Got Talent

Susan Boyle is evidently one of the biggest names to come out of 'Britain's Got Talent,' given how many people know of her stateside. Her audition has become one of the most-watched of any talent show audition in the Western world. Yet, despite being the clear breakout star of 2009, Susan didn't actually win her season of 'Britain's Got Talent.'

Instead, the title went to Diversity, a street dance troupe that has also managed to build an incredible career for themselves. Although their talent was - and still is - evident, people couldn't believe that they ended up beating Susan in the 'Britain's Got Talent' final. The winner was voted for by the public, though, so evidently, Diversity resonated with more viewers.

Susan Boyle was apparently hospitalized the day after the final

Winning a TV talent show isn't everything. One Direction, Jennifer Hudson, and Katharine McPhee all failed to come first, and they've done pretty well for themselves. Still, for Susan - who has admitted to feeling like a failure in the years after the show - losing must have hit hard. She may have feared that her music career was already over.

Unfortunately, a day after the final, reports emerged about Boyle collapsing and being taken to the hospital. It emerged that the singer was "exhausted and emotionally drained," something that prompted many well wishes, including from the UK's prime minister at the time. Susan's life had changed immensely since her audition, and it had seemingly all caught up with her.

There were concerns she'd have to pull out of the BGT Tour

The intense media interest in Susan Boyle after she was hospitalized reportedly drew quite a bit of criticism. There was apparently even concern from the Press Complaints Commission, suggesting that people were overlooking an essential privacy clause in their code of conduct. Thankfully, despite the persistence of some publications, Susan managed to get better after being hospitalized.

There were fears that she wouldn't be able to take part in the BGT Tour because of her exhaustion. Simon Cowell apparently even waived her contractual obligation to be involved in the show. However, she was determined not to waste this opportunity and ultimately appeared in the vast majority of the performances. As expected, her singing was frequently well-received.

Susan Boyle was seemingly snubbed by the Brit Awards in 2010

Susan Boyle's debut album generated incredible sales around the world, particularly in the US. They were also pretty impressive in the UK, where 'I Dreamed a Dream' became the country's best-selling debut album of all time. People loved the record and were eager to see it receive the accolades that it deserved. However, there was some controversy with this.

Boyle was seemingly snubbed by the Brit Awards in 2010 despite the album being released just in time for consideration. There was seemingly some judgment regarding the fact that Susan was from a TV talent show and didn't record original material. She was looked over in favor of acts like Florence and the Machine, who won Album of the Year.

Boyle initially found the musical about her to be "upsetting"

To this day, Susan Boyle has never been nominated for a Brit Award. She has been put forward for several Billboard Music Awards and two Grammy Awards, though. She's also been celebrated in so many other ways, including having a musical made around her life. Titled 'I Dreamed a Dream,' it premiered in the UK in 2012 to positive reviews.

While some people might feel it an honor to have a musical created about their life, Boyle wasn't quite so thrilled. Apparently, she initially found the show to be "upsetting" because she wasn't "used to it." Thankfully, as time went on, Susan apparently found it "quite clever and amusing," with Boyle celebrating Elaine C. Smith, who portrayed the singer.

Susan revealed that she'd been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome in 2013

Susan Boyle went through decades of her life believing that she'd suffered from brain damage due to oxygen deprivation when she was born. However, despite the insistence of doctors all those years ago, it seems that Susan did not actually suffer such damage. Instead, she simply had Asperger's syndrome, a diagnosis that she revealed to the world in 2013.

Discovering this was huge for the singer as it meant she finally had a condition that she could learn to manage. She reportedly felt like she understood herself better once she knew about her Asperger's syndrome, and with that came some relief. Susan also believed that other people would start to treat her better as well.

She had a "humiliating and degrading" experience at Heathrow airport in 2016

Unfortunately, while some people may have learned to treat Susan better following her diagnosis, that wasn't the case with everyone. In 2016, the singer apparently had a meltdown at Heathrow Airport during one of her "bad days" with her condition. After getting into an argument with airline staff, the cops were apparently called, which just made things worse.

She said the experience left her "frightened" and that the police "surrounded [her] like an animal." She said that they "didn't understand about my condition" and that the problem could have easily been resolved if she had "someone to talk to me." Susan considered the whole ordeal "humiliating and degrading" and ultimately had to be driven home to Scotland.

Susan Boyle was diagnosed with diabetes, which she allegedly struggled with

Susan Boyle has spent her whole life dealing with health woes. Epilepsy and Asperger's had a huge impact on her childhood and the treatment that she received. Unfortunately, several years after finding fame on 'Britain's Got Talent,' she learned of another issue affecting her health - type 2 diabetes. Susan was apparently diagnosed with the condition in 2013.

The diagnosis reportedly hit quite hard, with the Daily Mail claiming that Susan was struggling to "kick her sweet tooth habits." She reportedly started taking daily tablets to help cope with her diabetes but was still allegedly "sneaking in" sweets from time to time. This supposedly left her loved ones fearful that the condition would get worse.

Susan Boyle still lives in the home that she grew up in

After just one year of success, Susan Boyle reportedly made £5 million. That's more like £7.5 million in today's money, which equates to roughly $9.3 million. With so much money to her name, Susan could have easily bought herself a nice new house, along with plenty of other luxuries. That's not what she did, though.

It seems Boyle isn't really interested in the celebrity lifestyle, which is why she still lives in the home that she grew up in. She reportedly purchased this property in 2010, with Susan also buying the house next door. According to a friend who spoke with the Daily Mail, the singer is an "ordinary Scottish spinster" 90% of the time.

Even as a famous singer, Susan Boyle still gets bullied by people

During Susan's 'Britain's Got Talent' audition, judge Amanda Holden claimed that everyone there had been "cynical" about Boyle's capabilities and received "the biggest wake-up call." Unfortunately, while many people were blown away by Susan and acknowledged that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, not everyone felt the same. That's reportedly still the case today.

In 2017, she told the Daily Mail people continue to bully her sometimes, with Susan revealing that teenagers were "shouting at me,” as well as “taunting” and “saying vile things." Apparently, there were even incidents of "throwing things at the bus” she was riding at the time. After what she endured as a child, it's devastating this still happens now.

Her recent albums have performed questionably compared to her first two efforts

To date, Susan Boyle has made seven studio albums and one compilation album, with the latter being her most recent release. Unfortunately, the performance of these hasn't quite matched that of her first two efforts, which topped the charts and sold millions of copies in the US alone. Her 2016 album - 'A Wonderful World' - only charted at 150 here.

She's fared better in the UK, with all of her albums making the top 20, except for 'A Wonderful World,' which peaked at 22. Although Boyle has reportedly never cared greatly for chart positions or selling millions, the decline in sales could potentially threaten the longevity of her career. Luckily, she's beloved enough that she'll probably be just fine.

Susan dated an American doctor in 2014, but it amounted to little

Before Susan Boyle was known to millions of people around the world, she didn't always have a lot of luck in love. Her dad was supposedly quite protective when it came to her love life, and her attempt at getting married didn't work out in her favor. Surely things have been a lot different since her audition, though, right?

Not necessarily, as it seems Susan's love life hasn't necessarily been that busy. There was one man who she reportedly went on a date with in 2014 - an American doctor who was apparently "around the same age." However, although he was supposedly "a very nice guy" and "the perfect gentleman," there seemingly wasn't much of a connection between them.

She reportedly receives fan mail from men interested in being with her

When Susan Boyle spoke with The Sun in February 2020, it turned out that this date was the most recent one she'd had. So, Susan hadn't been in a relationship with anyone for more than half a decade. That's not necessarily something that bothers the singer, though, who is reportedly content with the single life.

Plus, it's not like Boyle doesn't allegedly receive attention from potential suitors. She admitted to The Lady magazine that she's received fan mail from guys interested in her. However, although she told the publication that she's "flattered" by such correspondence, she doesn't require their company. As she revealed to The Sun, “I've got people with me all the time.”

Susan reportedly has no plans to get married in the future

The revelation about all that fan mail wasn't the only thing that Susan Boyle spoke to The Lady about. She also shared with the publication that she has no intention of actually getting married, even if she does meet someone. Apparently, Susan feels that she's been "on my own too long now to get married."

Susan is now in her 60s, so it's understandable that she might be well accustomed to not having a guy around. She told The Lady that if she did happen to have "a man friend," their relationship would be "purely platonic." Of course, Boyle could change her mind about that in the future, but we doubt she will.

Her biggest regret is apparently that she never had any children

Susan Boyle has seemingly come to terms with the idea of never having a serious relationship. However, that doesn't mean she lives without regrets. It's not necessarily that Susan wishes she had tied the knot in the past, but rather that she'd had someone to bring children into the world with. This is reportedly her biggest regret.

Susan admitted as much to The Sun in 2019, confessing that she loves kids and feels sad that she "never had any of my own." However, that doesn't mean she's completely given up on the idea of being a mother. Susan's reportedly open to fostering or even adopting a child in the future if it's possible.

Boyle found the global health crisis to be a particular struggle

A lot has happened in Susan Boyle's life since she released her most recent album - the compilation 'Ten.' One year after the record came out, the world was in the midst of a global health crisis that forced people to spend a lot of time indoors. For people like Susan, there was a particular concern about safety.

She was reportedly advised by doctors that she needed to take all the rules about lockdown incredibly seriously because of her diabetes. Unfortunately, spending all that time indoors alone understandably had quite an impact on her mental well-being, with Boyle admitting she found it "tough-going" sometimes. Ever the optimist, though, Susan reportedly did her best to keep her head up.

Susan Boyle reportedly suffered a "minor stroke" in April 2022

Life is not what it was in 2020 and 2021, with the global health crisis still around but largely manageable. Unfortunately, by the time things started to ease up, and Boyle could relax a bit more about everything, her health took a turn for the worse. In April 2022, Susan reportedly suffered a "minor stroke."

She had apparently been perfectly fine the day before. However, when Susan's PA arrived at her home the next day, it was clear that something was wrong. She reportedly had a dropped face, her speech was slurred, and there was significant weakness on one side of her body. Susan was rushed to hospital and consequently diagnosed with a stroke.

She feared that she would never sing again after the stroke

A stroke can be life-changing, and for Susan Boyle, there were fears that it would spell the end of her career. Even though she could walk and talk, her speech was slurred to the point that it was "hard to work out what she was saying." Boyle was apparently "devastated" by the idea that she might never sing again.

Susan is not a woman to be beaten, though, so once she left the hospital, she apparently hired a private speech therapist. She reportedly started seeing him several times a week to work on getting back to where she used to be. It was not easy, but Boyle was determined to hold on to her passion and her career.

Boyle made a grand return to Britain's Got Talent in 2023

Susan could have put in years of work to recover from the stroke to no avail. However, that risk didn't put her off, not when there was the possibility that she could return to form. Thankfully, all the effort that Boyle put in paid off, and Susan showcased that when she performed on 'Britain's Got Talent' in June 2023.

Her singing was as incredible as ever when she took to the stage to perform 'I Dreamed a Dream' alongside Lucie Jones, who plays Fantine in the current West End production. It was after the performance that Susan revealed she'd had a stroke the previous year, something that most people watching didn't know and never would have predicted.

Susan is trying to pace herself to avoid having another stroke

For Susan Boyle to be able to perform on the 'Britain's Got Talent' stage just over a year after her stroke was incredible. The relief she must have felt at being able to pull that off was surely immense. However, this doesn't mean that the singer is completely back to form, with Susan reportedly taking things slowly moving forward.

She and her team know that she faces an increased risk of suffering a second stroke. So, they're trying to pace her commitments to ensure she remains in good health for many years to come. For that reason, Susan's reportedly holding off on doing a concert tour until at least 2024, with her performance dates likely to be more sporadic.