Unlikely star born on UK talent show

OUT OF NOWHERE: Susan Boyle is the bookies' favourite to win Britain's Got Talent.

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A British TV talent show has uncovered an unlikely star in the form of Susan Boyle, an unemployed 47-year-old from West Lothian in Scotland.

In the mould of tenor Paul Potts - the winner of the show two years ago who went on to top the charts - Boyle is the bookies’ favourite to win the 2009 edition of Britain’s Got Talent after she wowed judges and audience members alike on Saturday with an assured performance of I Dreamed a Dream from the musical Les Miserables.

A video clip of the performance on Youtube has already been watched more than seven million times, and, according to broadcaster ITV, Boyle was applauded on Easter Sunday by friends in the congregation of the church she attends.

"It was incredible. Although we sing in church not a lot of them know how good I was, so it was a bit of a shock for them," she said.

The straight-talking contender, who told viewers she had "never been kissed," clearly impressed the judges, including Simon Cowell, and is expected to win the top prize - a chance to perform before Prince Charles at the prestigious Royal Variety show, win a cheque for £100,000, and, perhaps most importantly, get a crack a stardom.

"The whole village is cheering me on," Boyle said.

"West Lothian would wish me well, I hope, that is the kind of community it is. And I will be doing my best. Before I left, they told me, 'If you can behave yourself and stop your carry on, you will do well. You can sing okay.'

"Who am I to let them down?"

- Reuters