A COLEG Cambria lecturer received a hero's welcome from students and staff after helping make television history as part of the first choir ever to win Britain's Got Talent (BGT).
Aled Morris, a Llangollen farmer and Agricultural Engineering lecturer at the college's Llysfasi campus, returned to work to cheers and applause after the Britain's Got Talent final, where the Hawkstone Farmers Choir beat drone light show act Celestial to take the crown.
The 34-strong choir, made up of farmers and agricultural workers from across the UK, captivated millions of viewers with emotional performances and a powerful message highlighting mental health and suicide prevention in the farming industry.
Formed in May 2025, the choir originally came together for a Hawkstone beer advertising campaign before evolving into a close-knit support network for those working in agriculture. More than 500 people applied to join the group, which includes 10 members from Wales.
For Aled, the journey began after his fiancée Sarah encouraged him to apply when he saw an advert looking for farmers who could sing.
"I can hold a tune, so I sent in a video of myself singing Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau and was lucky enough to be accepted," he said.
"It was only when I pulled into the car park at Jeremy Clarkson's pub, The Farmer's Dog, that I realised what was actually happening.
"We were there to film an advert for Hawkstone beer. It was a controversial advert, but we had so much fun doing it. Jeremy has done so much for the farming community and was incredibly supportive throughout.
"We all stayed in touch afterwards through a WhatsApp group, and then our musical director suggested entering Britain's Got Talent. The rest is history."
The choir's audition performance of Elbow's One Day Like This earned the coveted Golden Buzzer from judge Amanda Holden, sending them straight through to the live shows.
After winning their semi-final with a moving rendition of Bastille's Pompeii, they reached the grand final, where they performed an original song, This Is Home, inspired by their farming roots.
"To sing an original song on that stage on Saturday night was incredible," said Aled.
"I still can't believe we won. It feels totally surreal. The whole journey has been amazing, though I don't feel any different. Walking back into college on Monday to cheers and applause from the students was lovely."
The performance left judges visibly emotional. Amanda Holden, who had awarded the choir her Golden Buzzer earlier in the competition, told them: "You've made me cry again. I couldn't be prouder of you."
Aled said one of the choir's key objectives has always been raising awareness of mental health challenges facing people working in agriculture.
"Farming is a very lonely job and mental health is a huge issue across the industry," he said.
"You spend a lot of time alone with your own thoughts, so we wanted to shine a light on that. The response from the public has been overwhelming and incredibly uplifting. It feels like the nation has our back."
The choir has pledged to donate a significant proportion of its £250,000 prize money to charities supporting mental health in the farming community, and will perform at the Royal Variety Performance later this year in front of King Charles III.
With a wedding later this month and a Royal Variety appearance ahead, Aled admits life has become a whirlwind.
"Getting married at the end of June and now preparing to sing for the King - it all feels surreal but fantastic. Now we have this wonderful problem of deciding what we are going to sing for the Royal Family!" he said.
Coleg Cambria Head of Llysfasi Elin Roberts added: "We are incredibly proud of Aled and everything he has achieved with the Hawkstone Farmers Choir. His passion for agriculture and dedication to our learners make him a fantastic ambassador for Llysfasi, and his success shines a national spotlight on both farming and the rural communities we serve."
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