12 May 2025
St Albans musician Tommy Waterhart has thanked local residents and businesses for their overwhelming support for Electric Umbrella’s semi-final performance on Britain’s Got Talent.
The rock group – which actively welcomes people with neurodivergence or disabilities – gained a runners-up place for their song ‘Try Smiling’, which won over the judges but didn’t land them a place in the finals.
Tommy had arranged special watch parties at The Farmer’s Boy, The Boot and The Mermaid, with people encouraged to come along and watch the programme live.
He told the St Albans Times: “Can I say a big thank you to everyone in St Albans who voted for us, and all the businesses who gave us their support.
“Obviously when the results were announced there were tears – we’d had such a long day getting down there, rehearsals, hanging out buzzing all day, and we were exhausted. Then on the way back on the coach we had a singsong, and now everyone today is in such a good mood.
“I was expecting a bit of decompression, a time to chill and look at what we did, but almost immediately it was a case of, so we didn’t get through, but we came second in the public vote, what a great thing we did. To get that far and do those gigs, to play at the Hammersmith Apollo live on TV was amazing. We’re getting our name out there and it was above what we expected.
“The whole process has been going on for about six months, and all the issues around pulling off big gigs like that, making sure all our members were safe and happy, thinking about every facet of it, every conversation has been BGT while we’ve still been running the charity as well. We can now look back on it and will hopefully get more visibility and more gigs – it can only grow. I’m surprised about how happy and excited we all are.”
The group are regular performers in St Albans, appearing at the likes of Pub in the Park, the M Festival and various city centre street events. They will be at St Albans Cathedral on June 24 for ‘Shine A Light, an event bringing together young people from across Hertfordshire and beyond to sing and make music together, fostering integration, unity, and creativity.
