Susan Boyle was worried that after having a stroke, she might never be able to sing again.
On Sunday night, the Scottish singer made an unexpected comeback to the show that first made her famous by making a guest appearance on the Britain's Got Talent final won by comedian Vigo Venn.
As the competition's votes were tallied, she joined the London cast of Les Misérables on stage.
Boyle, 62, stunned viewers by confessing to hosts Ant and Dec that she had become ill in April 2022.
She gained notoriety in 2009 after her BGT audition for the third season went viral.
Despite coming in second place behind dance act Diversity in that year's final with her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables, she went on to have a successful recording career.
The singer, a native of West Lothian's Blackburn, performed for the late Queen, a US president, and the Pope.
She performed her audition song on Sunday alongside Lucie Jones from Les Miserables.
Her shocking revelation was revealed to Ant and Dec when she was asked how it felt to return to the BGT stage after 14 years.
It feels wonderful, she said. Since I had a minor stroke there in April of last year, it is particularly special for me.
"I've battled mightily to return to the stage. And I finished it. ".
"Susan, we owe you so much and I knew you weren't well," said head judge Simon Cowell. "But if anyone was going to come back, you were going to come back because it wouldn't be the same without you. ".
After the show, she wrote on her Facebook page: "For the past year I have worked so hard to get my speech and singing back, with the only goal of being able to sing on stage again.
Boyle has sold more than 20 million albums and received two Grammy nominations since she first appeared on the program.
On the show's American all-star edition, she made one of her final appearances.
On America's Got Talent: The Champions in 2019, she gave a rendition of her cover of the Rolling Stones' Wild Horses.
Boyle won the top prize for the competition when judge Mel B pressed her golden buzzer to advance the singer directly to the finals.
Boyle's voice, according to the Spice Girls member, is "angelic.".
Boyle received an Asperger's Syndrome diagnosis in 2013. People with this type of autism frequently struggle with their emotions, find it challenging to interact with others, and frequently find it difficult to read non-verbal cues.
The celebrity claimed to be relieved at finally having a "clearer understanding" of her condition after years of mistaking her mild brain damage at birth for something else.
Bookmakers' favorite Musa Motha, a dancer from South Africa who had one leg amputated when he was 11 years old, lost to Vigo Venn in the competition.
Second and third place went to teen dancer Lilliana Clifton and young magician Cillian O'Connor.
Venn received a $250,000 prize for winning as well as a spot in the Royal Variety Performance.
