Andrew Johnston

Content Warning. Some of the content on this page may be considered upsetting for some audiences. Discretion is advised when viewing this page.

Andrew Johnston is a singer who reached the Final of Series 2 of Britain's Got Talent. He was aged 13 at the time of his audition and hailed from Carlisle. Before his audition, Johnston stated that he lived on a Council Estate and wanted to sing in order to make something good come of his life.

Prior to his performance he stated that he had been singing since he were aged 6 and dreamt to sing on stage, and this lead to a bullying problem at school and when asked how he dealt with this he responded 'I carry on singing'.

In his audition, he performed 'Pie Jesu' by Sarah Brightman. Piers remarked '[Your bullies] don't like you for one reason, because you've got more talent then they could dream of ever having', with Simon adding 'I think you're better than you think you are, but hear it from me you are good'.

In the Semi-Finals, Johnston performed 'Tears in Heaven' by Eric Clapton. Piers remarked 'I really do think you have a uniquely good talent [but] I still don't think we've seen the best of you', with Amanda adding 'You have a gift from god in your voice and it was beautiful tonight'. He won the Public Vote, and advanced directly onto the Final.

In the Final, he once again performed 'Pie Jesu' by Sarah Brightman. Amanda remarked 'You've transformed as a young boy, you've grown up this week [and] you've transformed', with Simon adding 'It was sort of perfect, it was believable, you looked great [and] you've got a new confidence, its almost like this week you've turned from a boy into a man'. He ultimately placed third overall.

After BGT

Johnston's debut album, 'One Voice', was released in November 2008 and peaked at #4 in the Official Albums Chart.

In 2011, he was awarded a Royal School of Church Music Gold medal; public performances that year included a charitable concert, alongside organists John Bromley and Tony Green, at St Paul's Church, in Helsby, in November.

In September 2013, Johnston began to study for a Bachelor of Music degree at the Royal Northern College of Music, under the tutelage of Jeff Lawton, who had previously tutored him at the Junior College. He immediately joined the college's Chamber Choir and the Manchester Cathedral choir, but said that he intended to still sing with the Carlisle Cathedral choir where possible. While a student, Johnston's singing was adversely affected by a broken nose, the result of an unprovoked attack in a Carlisle nightclub on New Year's Day, 2014.

In 2017, he staged his own opera show in Stanwix known as 'A Night at the Opera' with Andrew and Friends.

In August 2022, Johnston was charged of three counts of rape on two different women with these having occurred between 2019 & 2020, however Johnston plead not guilty at his plea hearing in October and was granted bail until his trial in July 2023 with his bail conditions stipulating that he could not contact either of the two women who are alleging he raped them. In May 2025, a jury of 9 women and 3 men were responsible for clearing Johnston on both of these charges by delivering him two not guilty verdicts.

Controversy

During his time on Britain's Got Talent, he claimed to have been bullied because of singing. However, rumours appeared that the producers had told him to say this. Johnston declined this rumour.