Britain's Got Talent star Allan Finnegan dies aged 59

Allan Finnegan, a Baptist minister from Bootle who charmed the nation as a semifinalist on "Britain's Got Talent" in 2020, has died at the age of 59. He passed away on Friday, June 19, 2026, after a nearly five-year battle with cancer, his family announced on social media on Sunday, which was Father's Day.

His family confirmed his death in an emotional statement, saying he died peacefully at 9:10 p.m. surrounded by his wife, Joyce, and daughters Rachael and Beckie. They described him as an "amazing, caring, funny" husband, father, grandfather, minister, and comedian. In his final moments, the family played his favorite music, including Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here," which was playing as he took his last breath.

Finnegan first gained widespread attention on the 2020 season of the ITV talent show, where he performed stand-up comedy in his clerical collar. His gentle, feel-good humor won praise from judges Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, and David Walliams, with Dixon calling him a "breath of fresh air." He advanced to the semifinals but did not progress to the final. He had been performing comedy since 2012 while serving his congregation at Emmanuel Baptist Church...