Bicester & Islip YFC’s Club Leader Grace Blackwell took to the national stage with Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone Farmers' Choir in March to appear on Britain’s Got Talent (BGT).
The 40-strong choir, which features a few familiar former YFC members’ faces, are now through to the semi-finals after judge Amanda Holden pressed the show’s golden buzzer at the end of their performance.
The Hawkstone Farmers' Choir is made up of people from across the farming community from around the UK. Members include working farmers, retired farmers and others whose lives and work are closely connected to agriculture. The choir celebrates the shared experiences and strong community spirit found throughout British farming.
NFYFC caught up with Grace to find out more about her experience on the show and why she joined the Hawkstone Farmers' Choir.
I have very happy memories of being a member of Long Crendon YFC in my teens and early 20s. We had some great meetings and social evenings, and I still have my jumper in the wardrobe 20 years later! Before my daughter became old enough to join YFC last year I enjoyed supporting the county shows in the meantime.
Everyone at Bicester & Islip YFC has been so kind about my involvement in BGT. We had a quiz at our last meeting, before the choir’s audition was on TV, and one of the other club leaders slipped a question in at the end. “Which club leader is going to be on BGT on Saturday?” There were a few surprised faces!
Several of the choir have been members of YFC. The youngest member of our choir is 27 so we’ve almost outgrown the YFC age group!
A production company put out an advert on social media asking for singing farmers to be involved in an advertising campaign. I submitted a video of my singing and was very lucky to be chosen to take part. It was only when I was given the full details that I knew it was for Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone beer.
Yes, I sang in a choir at secondary school (Wheatley Park School) and also a social choir in Oxford before I had my children. I would encourage anybody to join a choir. You don’t have to be an amazing singer, just carry a tune and enjoy it!
We are all like-minded people and as soon as we met, I automatically felt at ease and as if we had known each other for ages.
It has been great learning about everyone’s varied involvement in farming. I am a farmer’s daughter, and I lost my dad suddenly a few months before the choir formed. Being part of the choir really lifted my spirits, and I will always feel grateful that I was chosen to take part.
Our BGT audition day was very exciting. I’ve watched the programme for many years, and it was such a privilege to stand on a proper theatre stage and sing to 2,000 people. It was also really interesting to see how TV is made and be behind the scenes.
As soon as our audition aired on TV my phone practically melted! It has been very overwhelming receiving hundreds of messages of congratulations. I walked into our local pub the day after we were on TV and everybody clapped and cheered. I just hope that people will support us in the semi-finals, support their local farmer and buy British when they are doing their shopping.
Enjoy it. What’s the worst that can happen? It can be very nerve wracking standing up and doing something outside of your comfort zone, but you never know what it could lead to. Grab the opportunity with both hands, take a deep breath and sing your hearts out. Good luck!
NFYFC wishes The Hawkstone Farmers' Choir the best of luck for the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent.
NFYFC’s national final of the Show Choir competition will be held on 4 July 2026 at the Staffordshire County Showground.
