George Sampson shot to fame after winning the second season of Britain’s Got Talent in 2008 – and his life has changed quite a bit since he wowed the judges with his Singin’ in the Rain performance

Britain’s Got Talent champion George Sampson has certainly had a fascinating journey since winning the show.

He is famed for his electrifying performances and winning the second season of BGT in 2008. Despite auditioning for the first series and failing to impress judges Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden enough to reach the semi-finals, George returned a year later. He mesmerised ITV viewers with a contemporary dance performance to Singin’ in the Rain, securing his title as BGT champion.

Post-win, he was seen on various TV shows and signed promotional contracts, even venturing into music before amicably parting ways with Simon Cowell in 2009. Out of the public eye for some time, George re-emerged on our screens in 2016 when he secured a role on Emmerdale and further participated on Celebrity Coach Trip with Roxanne Pallett in 2019. Now, with BGT back on our screens, we take a look at George’s life and achievements post-TV fame

George now tours theatres across the UK ( 
Image:
WireImage)

He won BGT in 2008 ( 
Image:
Ken McKay)
George regularly showcases his talents on theatre stages across the nation. Having played the lead in a UK-touring Robin Hood pantomime last year, he was moved to take to Instagram: “This past month has been an absolute roller coaster!” he shared before the final show , reports the Daily Star.

He shared a snap of himself clad in Robin Hood gear alongside his four-legged pal, expressing his joy: “Playing Robin Hood on a national tour has been an unreal experience, thanks to everyone that came to watch the show! Here’s me and my mate Sully having a much-needed cuddle between scenes.”

His performing credits don’t stop there – he’s previously starred in productions of Peter Pan and Cinderella as well as Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs.

Hair transplant

The dancer has had three hair transplants ( 
Image:
ITV)
In George’s private life, he’s candidly disclosed undergoing three hair transplants. Having previously bemoaned his receding hairline on This Morning and admitting to spending £9,000 on the first two surgeries, it was during a heart-to-heart with then hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford that he revealed his satisfaction with the results.

He admitted: “I’m so happy. It’s difficult. I still get hundreds of men messaging me about it.” The dancer described the struggle of facing baldness while feeling youthful: “I felt like an old man with a babyface, I had to wake up and look in the mirror and think I hate my hairline.

He referred to part of his scalp as a “landing strip of bare skin” and gave a nod to football icon Wayne Rooney’s own hair restoration, saying Rooney’s decision had inspired him. Additionally, George opened up about being diagnosed with alopecia, attributing the condition to stress, heredity factors, and the strain of performing head spins in his dance routine.

He has treated himself to tattoos ( 
Image:
georgesampson/Instagram)

George won over the nation with his dancing ( 
Image:
Ken McKay/REX/Shutterstock)

George has also made a statement with his bold ink work, creating quite the visual impact with his tattoos. Once the poster boy for clean-cut youth, he has shifted gears and now sports a rebellious edge with his full tattoo sleeves His followers went wild over a video showcasing his ink, with one fan exclaiming: “Feckin awesome pal, love the logo on the cap.”

Another couldn’t contain their excitement, commenting: “That is sick man.” The clip offered a sneak peek at George’s tattoo—a striking self-portrait from his Singin’ in the Rain performance—and his other arm celebrates his acting chops with tattoos of film reels and theatre masks.