Hollie Steel

30th April

Watch Hollie Steel get kicked by Susan Boyle in this amusing spoof video by Jimmy Kimmel

29th April

Hollie Steel, who wowed judges in Britains Got Talent last Saturday, is hoping  to land a record deal as well as appear on the West End stage, according to an article in the Lancashire Telegraph.

Speaking at her home  the 10-year-old star from Britain’s Got Talent  said that she thought her singing and dancing were “rubbish”, despite the glowing praise from the judges.

The youngster, who was also being interviewed by an American film crew whilst speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph, now has a lot on her hands, but still manages to attend school, practice her singing for half an hour a night and attend dance school three times per week.

“When I was on Britain’s Got Talent I thought the singing and dancing was a bit rubbish.

“I thought I could do better. I thought they would have stopped me before.

“But when they didn’t I was really, really excited. When I’m on stage it’s exciting and scary the best bit is when everybody is cheering,”she said.

Hollie’s heroes in the performing arts world include X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke, Katherine Jenkins and Kerry Ellis, who plays the  character Elphaba in Hollie’s favourite musical Wicked.

She said: “Katherine has a beautiful voice, Alexandra is brilliant and Kerry is in my favourite musical. It has been amazing I would love to have a record deal and be Elphaba from Wicked. I would love to be a pop star and be on the stage.

“When I got through to Britain’s Got Talent, I don’t know how I kept it quiet but I’m really, really chuffed and I really, really want to win.

“I have wanted to do this since I was five. I watched my brother Josh do dancing and singing as I was growing up and I wanted to do it too.”

Hollie impressed the judges with her singing of I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady.

29th April, 2009

Hollie Steel’s amazing success on Britain’s Got Talent has come from hard work and determination, according to her dance teacher who was interviewed by the Burnley Citizen.

Hollie’s dance teacher, Kathy Foster, owner of KLF Dance Academy, in Plumbe Street, Burnley, added that Hollie together with her brother Joshua, 15  has been attending the academy since she was five years old.

Kathy said: “Hollie and her brother are extremely talented. Hollie is a confident little girl who doesn’t know how good she is.

“She practises hard and attends lessons three days a week.

“I have seen hundreds of children every year but there is something about her and her brother, we just wish we could hold on to her a little longer.

“She is dedicated, along with her brother.

“She has 100 per cent attendance and I continue with lessons in the holidays because of their commitment. ”

Hollie’s took the lead role as Annie in the Christmas production and Kathy is hopeful that she will be able to perform again at their next show in June 2009.

Kathy added: “She is just so laid back about it all for a young girl, she’s taking it all in her stride.

“She says she will never forget anybody.

“Hollie is a lovely little girl, she’s a fighter and I hope she does really, really well.”

Hollie is a lovely little girl, she’s a fighter and I hope she does really, really well.

28th April

Hollie Steel has appeared on the Today Show in the US via a satellite link. She is becoming very well known in the US in the aftermath of the Susan Boyle YouTube Sensation. She informed the viewers that wearing a Tutu for the audition was her mum’s idea. Simon Cowell criticised the fact that she had worn a Tutu after her stunning audition.

Simon Cowell was impressed with Hollie’s voice as she sang “I Could Have Danced All Night“, from My Fair Lady,  but slated her for wearing the tutu, saying: “‘I didn’t like what you were wearing. You looked like any other little girl wanting to be a ballerina.”

Hollie told the Today Show viewers that she only wore the tutu because her mother had “told” her to.

She also said that she would be taking Simon Cowell’s advice and not dance during her next performance.

In an interview with  The Mail on Sunday, Hollie said that she had been working on an operatic song for her next performance, and that her ambition was to star in a musical.

She said: “I’m going to do what Simon says and stop the dancing. I want to sing Nessun Dorma.

She added: “I would love to be on the stage in the West End, in Wicked. I’ve been to see it twice, I would love to be able to sing like Kerry Ellis.” (Kerry Ellis is the current star of Wicked).”

I’m going to do what Simon says and stop the dancing. I want to sing Nessun Dorma.

Hollie Steel has branded Simon Cowell “a bully” in an interview with the Daily Mirror Newspaper.

Hollie was upset about Simon Cowell’s negative comments about choice of attire and song, and she said: “Simon is a bully. He was very mean to me. He might have thought it was funny but it’s lonely up there on that stage on your own. I’m only 10 and when he said those things about my tutu I felt like I wanted to cry.

“I had tears in my eyes but I didn’t want to him to see me cry like the bullies at school so I thought of things that made me happy. I thought of being in the final of Britain’s Got Talent and winning it.”

The other judges, Amanda Holden, Piers Morgan and Kelly Brook, had only nice things to say about Hollie. Amanda said it was like “looking in a mirror” (Amanda Holden performed when she was a child). Piers Morgan went as far as to say that Hollie was the best child performed he had seen in three years of filming “Britain’s Got Talent”.

However, Simon was on his usual form when he said: “Hollie, Hollie, Hollie… let me tell you what I think. I didn’t like what you were wearing. You came across as a typical little girl who wants to be a ballerina, and I wasn’t crazy about the song.”

Hollie was perhaps a little sensitive to Simon’s remarks because she has suffered with bullying at school. She said: “Simon’s comments really hurt because I have been bullied for a long time. I get picked on for my singing and because I’m small. One boy said I sounded like a cat being killed and girls tell me I’m no good and that I’m out of tune.

“They have pushed and shoved me in the past but it’s the words that hurt most. My eyes water but I don’t want to cry so I go to the toilets where no one can see me.

“But the bullies just make me more determined to do well.”

It is a sad fact of life that children, who are special for any reason, or who have a talent, or who are just different to the norm, often get picked on a school. Usually, it is jealousy that motivates such spiteful comments and actions. Hollie just needs to stay strong and do the best she can with her amazing talent,  because being happy and leading a great life is the best thing that she can do.

“But the bullies just make me more determined to do well.”

Hollie Steel’s parents only entered her into the “Britain’s Got Talent” competition so that she didn’t feel left out after her older brother Joseph auditioned.

Now along with Susan Boyle and Shaheen Jafargholi, she is a favourite to win the competition.

Hollie Steel’s parents, Nina and Jason Steel, have admitted that they only entered Hollie into the competition as an after thought.

‘We were taking Josh because we thought it would be more appropriate for him to get on and progress his career as a 15-year-old lad than a 10-year-old girl,’ said mum to the Daily Mail.

‘We weren’t really thinking about a career for Hollie at 10, but when she auditioned I could see the judges were a bit taken aback.’

Nina Steel said Joshua, 15, had requested trying out for Britain’s Got Talent, so she felt that it was only fair to ask Hollie if she wanted to have a go too. Brother and sister went to the auditions in Manchester in November 2008, and performed one after the other.

Sadly for Joshua, the judges were not impressed with his tap dancing, nor his singing of “Fly Me to the Moon”. However, they offered little Hollie the chance to come back and sing in front of Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Piers Morgan and Kelly Brook. The audition was recorded in February.

‘Josh took it really well,’ Mrs Steel said. ‘He doesn’t mind. He’s pleased for Hollie.’

Everything you need to know about Hollie Steel.

• Age: 10 years at the time of the audition which was screened in April 2009.
• Year of birth: 1998
• Age Hollie began singing: 6 years
• Previous productions: Joseph and His Technicolour Dreamcoat
• Place of residence: Accrington, Lancashire.
• Parents: Jason Steel (aged 38) and  Nina Steel (aged 37). They are both audiologists working in the NHS.
• Siblings: Brother Joshua, aged 15. Joshua wants to be a stage actor in the West End.

Interesting fact: When Hollie was 4, she contracted pneumonia. The condition was very serious and she was lucky to escape without having part of her lung removed when it filled with fluid. She underwent surgery to drain the lung, and thus preserve its function.

Hollie Steel is the latest sensation to capitavate the nation on the TV talent show “Britain’s Got Talent”. Little Hollie, aged 10 years old and from Accrington in Lancashire, appeared on stage in a tutu.  She appeared to just be a sweet but ordinary little girl who wanted to be a ballerina.

Indeed, Simon Cowell appeared to be about to press the red buzzer on her.

But the she opened her mouth to sing. The judges were literally gobsmacked as she opened her mouth to sing “I Could Have Danced All Night” from the musical My Fair Lady, originally sung by Julie Andrews. Simon quickly withdrew his hand from the buzzer area.

Hollie Steel’s voice was amazing. It was as though her voice was coming from an adult – not a 10 year old girl.

View Hollie Steel’s audition here

Hollie brought the audience and the judges to their feet, and she received a standing ovation.

The judges praised the little girl.

Amanda Holden said: “It was like looking in a mirror. (Laughter from the other judges) It’s ridiculous how much talent you have. The voice that came out of you I was stunned at.”

Piers Morgen said: “We have seen lots of children on the show in three years now and I have never heard anyone sing as well as you.”

Kelly Brook, a guest judge on the show, said, “I just didn’t expect that voice to come out of a tiny little thing. Beautiful and lovely.”

Simon’s response was more measured. He began by telling Hollie Steel what he didn’t like. He said: “I didn’t like what you were wearing because you came over as a typical little girl who wants to be a ballerina. I wasn’t crazy about the song. Then I heard you sing and I think, Hollie, you’ve got a fantastic voice. The fact that you don’t know how good you are is what I really like about you. But this just might just be the tip of the iceberg because I think you’re better than that.”

Hollie was accompanied to the audition by her proud parents. Her father commented: “I am so proud every time she performs, there’s no doubt about it.”

26th April

Piers Morgan said this weekend has said that he thinks that Hollie Steel can win Britain’s Got Talent. The judge maintained that whilst Susan Boyle was odds on favourite to win with the bookies, he felt that Hollie Steel could pip her to the post. He also advised punters to hold onto their money for now as there are other many great acts that we haven’t even seen yet!