Town mayor to appear in live BGT semi-final on Saturday

* Aled on stage, back row, second from left, with the Hawkstone Farmer Choir.

The Mayor Of Llangollen is getting ready to appear in the live semi-final of the Britain's Got Talent (BGT) on Saturday.

Back in March Aled Morris ploughed to victory in the audition for the hit TV talent show's 19th series as part of the Hawkstone Farmers Choir after a dazzling Golden Button success, which also won them a free pass around the boot camp stage.

Performing a soaring rendition of the Elbow anthem One Day Like This at the Birmingham Hippodrome, the choir moved a celebrity judging panel led by Amanda Holden, guest judge Stacey Solomon, Alesha Dixon, and KSI.

Aled, 33, swaps the council chamber for the stage to sing with the choir which is part of Jeremy Clarkson's Hawkstone brand and brings together people from across the UK farming community who share a connection to agriculture and a love of singing.

The aim is to use their national platform to raise awareness and funds for mental health and suicide prevention within the agricultural community.

When Aled isn't tending to his 50-acre family sheep farm at Pen-y-Rhagfryn he is teaching the next generation of farmers as a lecturer in agriculture and land-based engineering at Llysfasi College. 

He has sat on the town council for four years, helps organise the annual Llangollen illuminated tractor run, and serves as the steam section steward for the Malpas Yesteryear Rally. 

Aled reveals the reaction in his home area since the audition aired has been nothing short of overwhelming and he admits he wasn't quite prepared for the scale of the response. 

"I expected maybe a few odd messages but my phone literally blew up," he said. 

For Aled, being part of the 32-strong choir has been a transformative personal experience. 

"The choir means everything to me," he explains. "It’s like having a large family. We might only meet every few months, but we fall back into conversation as if we’ve never been apart."

Preparing for the BGT semi-finals has required some creative rehearsal techniques. "There’s been plenty of singing in the shower and plenty of singing in the workshop just to keep the vocal cords in check," he laughed. 

                        * Aled Morris in his role as Mayor of Llangollen. 

The logistical challenge is significant, with rehearsals taking place in Oxfordshire - a 300-mile round trip from Llangollen. 

"It definitely takes its toll, but the joy everyone has when they get together makes it all worth it," Aled noted. 

Speaking about the mental health benefits of the choir, he said: "Only farmers really understand other farmers. When you’re feeling down or lonely, it can be difficult to talk to someone who doesn't get it. Being surrounded by people who know exactly what you’ve been through offers such a comforting time in what can be an unforgiving industry."

Aled is acutely aware of the stakes on Saturday night. 

"If what we are doing saves only one person, then that is the biggest prize we could ever hope to receive," he said.

Llangollen residents and the wider Welsh agricultural community are being urged to register on the ITV website early to support Aled and the choir this Saturday night.

* Aled isn't the first member of Llangollen's mayoral team to appear on TV. Mayoress Sarah Griffiths, Aled's long-term partner, was one of the Big Brother housemates back in 2024.