MAY 22 2017 marks one of the most tragic events in Manchester’s history when 22 people lost their lives and hundreds more were injured during a terrorist attack at an Ariana Grande concert in the Manchester Arena.
Less than a year on, one of the survivors of the atrocity auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent, and last night the performance was aired on the first episode of the 12th series of the show.
Flanked by her friends – a dance troupe called RISE - 13-year-old Hollie Booth, who is currently confined to a wheelchair, performed a choreographed dance routine to Ariana Grande’s One More Time and Little Mix track, Salute.
And there’s no denying it was a particularly poignant moment in the show’s 12-year history.
Hollie, who has undergone 11 surgeries on her legs since the incident, spoke eloquently about her recovery process, admitting that she felt slightly daunted by the venue she was auditioning in.
Everybody has been absolutely supportive and I couldn’t have asked for anything better. It’s always difficult coming back to Manchester but this is like the first place I’ve been whats like… not like an arena… but it is a bit.
Hollie, who lost her aunt in the attack, and her friends were praised for their display of courage in the face of adversity, with Simon Cowell telling Hollie that her ability to turn a negative into a positive was nothing short of unbelievable.
Twitter also recognised the poignancy of the moment, and paid tribute to the young dancers in the hours that followed the show’s broadcast.
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