Stacey Leadbetter, a 29-year-old supermarket worker from Yorkshire, stunned both judges and viewers on Britain’s Got Talent when YouTube star KSI hit the Golden Buzzer during Saturday’s show. Singing a powerful rendition of Leona Lewis’s “Run”, Stacey secured a direct spot in the semi-finals—despite having only sung in public once before.
Her incredible journey is even more inspiring given that she overcame a severe speech impediment, which had required her to retrain her voice completely. During lockdown, Stacey turned to adult speech-therapy videos on YouTube, diligently practicing and applying the techniques to strengthen her speech and singing. She admits that if she stops practicing, her stammer can return.
Looking back, Stacey shared that school was a tough time—she was often mocked for her stutter, with classmates mimicking her speech. Rather than letting those experiences break her, she used them as fuel for her personal transformation.
When KSI hit the buzzer, the crowd erupted with chants of “Push the buzzer!” and judge Amanda Holden praised her performance as “amazing.”
KSI later said he hoped Stacey would go on to win the competition, calling her story—from working in a chicken shop to shining on national television—a true inspiration.
Even after battling a bout of strep throat just before the semi-finals, Stacey powered through with the help of antibiotics and delivered a heartfelt performance of Demi Lovato’s “Anyone”, earning her a spot in the final.
