A 17-year-old girl from Deri, near Bargoed, has narrowly missed out on reaching the final of BBC talent show All Together Now.
Carys Lloyd, who was 16 when the episode was filmed, performed Pure Imagination from the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Carys lost the sing-off with fellow-contestant Nicola Greenwood, but said: “I loved it, it was a great experience and a good opportunity for me.”
Wow. Hands up if you cried during Carys’s performance? ???????? Her pure imagination even had our punk rockers Bud & Aidan welling up… and she’s only 16! ? #AllTogetherNow pic.twitter.com/V5kl5F3PFd
— All Together Now (@alltogethernow) March 23, 2019
Carys, who sung Louis Armstrong’s What A Wonderful World in the sing-off, added: “I was just happy to be there. Missing out on the final is not that big a deal for me.”
The 17-year-old watched the show at home with friends from college.
Carys told Caerphilly Observer: “It was really exciting. My friends thought it was amazing and they were all very proud.
WHY AM I SO NOSTALGIC RIGHT NOW#AllTogetherNow pic.twitter.com/UzB8Imyzod
— BBC Three (@bbcthree) March 23, 2019
“It felt so weird watching it back. I’ve got some closure now because I’ve been so nervous about being on television for the last three months.
“I can stop having butterflies in my stomach now.”
Carys’ mother, Claire Lloyd, said: “It was very surreal, emotional and overwhelming. It’s such a feeling of pride.
“I still can’t believe she got up in front of 100 strangers who she knew would be judging her.”
Mrs Lloyd admitted to crying when watching her daughter on prime time television.
“Her college friends came over and it was like a Beatles concert – they were all screaming for her.
“When she was in the sing-off it was quite tense because her friends didn’t know the results.”
Mrs Lloyd added: “Carys’ grandparents were at a wedding when the show was aired, but missed the party to watch the show from their hotel room.
“We just want to say a thank you to everyone for their support, it means so much to Carys.
“The people of Deri have also been amazing.”