Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Man charged with death of Britain's Got Talent finalist singer

Simonne Kerr was part of the B Positive choir

bgt simonne kerr
Sharnaz Shahid
Deputy Online Editor
Share this:

A singer from Britain's Got Talent has been found dead after she was killed at a flat in Battersea. Simonne Kerr, 31, appeared on this year's series of the ITV talent show as part of the NHS choir B Positive, making it through to the final with the judges' wild card vote. Scotland Yard confirmed that a man had been charged with her murder. Desmond Sylva, 40, will appear before magistrates in Wimbledon on Friday morning. A spokesperson for the Met Police said: "Police were called on Wednesday, 15 August at 12:38hrs to a report of a stabbing at a residential address in Grayshott Road, SW11. Officers attended along with the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance."

bgt simonne kerr© Photo: Instagram

Simonne Kerr took part in this year's BGT

The official B-Positive Choir account has since taken to Twitter to post: "Our thoughts are with Simonne's family at this tragic time. She was a valued member of the B Positive choir who was passionate about blood donation following the loss of her son. We are devastated at the loss of a well-loved choir member and friend." The choir was put together by the NHS Blood and Transplant unit to encourage the public to give blood. Simonne joined the group because her son Kavele had sickle cell anaemia. He died in 2015.

GALLERY: Stars we have lost in 2018

"I got to spend six wonderful years watching Kavele grow and though there were a handful of hospitalizations in his short life, I was positive that he would live a full life into adulthood. I lost him in 2015," Simonne previously explained on the NHS website. "Singing can be such an uplifting experience so joining the B Positive choir seemed the obvious way to raise awareness of the urgent need for more young and black people to give blood while doing something positive and motivational." A Britain's Got Talent spokesman has since released this statement: "We are deeply saddened and shocked to hear that Simonne Kerr has died. Our thoughts and condolences are with Simonne's family and friends during this difficult and devastating time."