An influencer who has gained thousands of followers by sharing bikini pictures and holiday snaps has a secret talent show past.
Hollie Steel, 24, has over 22,000 fans on Instagram where she regularly posts pictures from luxury holidays in the Caribbean, Paris and Mexico.
However the 24-year-old actually first rose to fame in 2009 when, at the age of 10, she appeared on Britain’s Got Talent and made it through to the final.
The singer, who had a panic attack on the show during a performance of Edelweiss during the semi-finals, ended up losing out to Diversity.
Now, she is a singer and performer, having recently ended her time on the Royal Caribbean cruiseship where she played the role of ‘Frenchy’ in Grease.
Hollie Steel, 24, who has gained thousands of followers by sharing bikini pictures and holiday snaps has a secret talent show past
The 24-year-old has over 22,000 fans on Instagram where she regularly posts pictures from luxury holidays in the Caribbean, Paris and Mexico
Now, she is a singer and performer, having recently ended her time on the Royal Caribbean cruiseship where she played the role of ‘Frenchy’ in Grease (pictured left and right)
During Hollie’s time on the show, she fled the stage during the semi final in a flood of tears during her performance of Edelweiss after nerves got the better of her.
The little girl broke down halfway through her song and was visibly shaking.
She fled from the stage to her mother, who was sat near the judges.
Sobbing Hollie begged the judges to allow her to start again, and made her way back on stage with her mother.
Producers initially refused to let her sing again because of time constraints, prompting the child to break down again.
Simon intervened: ‘I don’t care how we do it but we will find the timesomewhere (on the show) to let you audition again.’
Later Ant confirmed she would be singing again, to cheers from the audience.
For her second performance later in the show, the composed little girl made it through to the end of the song without faltering, finishing on a remarkably high note.
The ten-year-old grew tearful again after her performance, but was given encouraging comments by the judges.
Ant said: ‘That was worth waiting for, for that note at the end.’
Simon said: ‘Hollie you are officially now the bravest girl in the world. Good for you. It’s not easy. You’re ten, on the stage on your own.
The 24-year-old actually first rose to fame in 2009 when, at the age of 10, she appeared on Britain’s Got Talent and made it through to the final
Difficult: The performer, now 24, said one moment in particular still haunts her from her time in the competition.
Tears: She claims was given no support after having a panic attack on the show during a performance of Edelweiss during the semi-finals
‘Not only did you sing it well the second time, you performed it and you nailed the last note.’
Piers said: ‘You can smile now. It’s all over. That was one of the gutsiest things I’ve ever seen in my life. I couldn’t have done that. You should be very proud of yourself.
‘I will be amazed if you’re not in the final.
Amanda said: ‘Hollie I knew you could do it. You’re such a little professional.
‘The most beautiful, innocent pure voice.’
Amanda said at the time when deciding whether to send her or Welsh waiter Greg Pritchard through to the final: ‘It wasn’t just that she came back on stage, it was that her performance was better.’
Cowell made the vote unanimous to send the schoolgirl through to the final.
She has more recently spoken of how the moment continues to haunt her.
Hollie said she has had therapy and carries a lot of ‘trauma’ with her since appearing on the show 14 years ago when she was aged just 10.
She claimed she was given no support after having the panic attack.
She told The Sun of the moment: ‘I know I have a lot of trauma, even from 14 years ago. When I get on stage, sometimes I go back to that moment when I’m on TV and I’m about to have a panic attack.
‘I’ve done a lot of therapy and counselling where I’m just like, ‘You need to breathe, you need to relax. You’re enjoying this. You’re fine’.
‘I really had to delve deep to accept the panic attacks for what they are and just keep going through it all.’
ITV has been contacted by MailOnline for comment.
Hollie’s experience on the show sparked a national debate over whether children should be allowed to audition for talent shows.
Hollie has since gone to release three albums.
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