Maxwell Thorpe: Where has Sheffield's Britain's Got Talent finalist busked, and who has he worked with?

After 10 years busking on the streets of South Yorkshire, Maxwell Thorpe rode a wave of public support into the final round of Britain’s Got Talent on Monday, May 30.

The 32-year-old was showered with the most audience votes for his goosebump-inducing rendition of Nelle Tue Mani (Now We Are Free) from the Gladiator soundtrack.

His amazing voice and self-professed shyness has charmed viewers and judges.

So how did Maxwell come to be standing on the Britain’s Got Talent’s stage?

Where does Maxwell Thorpe go busking in South Yorkshire?

Maxwell Thorpe is a classically trained operatic singer who began singing lessons when he was 14.

His clarinet teacher noticed his talent when he was made to sing back notes played on a piano during his grade exam.

He is a baritone who can sing in Italian – although, as he admitted on Good Morning Britain, he doesn’t always know what the words mean.

Some of his crowd pleasers include Bring Him Home from Les Miserables, Time To Say Goodbye and Pavarotti’s Nessun Dorma.

He has been busking on the streets of South Yorkshire and the surrounding area for nine years. He started in the summer of 2012 at the market in Bakewell on Mondays, Tuesdays and weekends.

He told BBC Radio Sheffield: “After that, I kind of branched out a little bit. I got a bit brave and went to Chesterfield Market, and after that I came back to Sheffield.

“I just didn’t think it would go down well in cities. I don’t know why.

"After that I thought I would go travelling with it. It’s been a journey.”

The Sheffield busker has made it onto the pages of The Star several times in the past decade.

In 2017, it was reported how Maxwell was heard singing outside of the city’s former Mothercare, after which he was invited to sing at Sheffield Cathedral and later City Hall.

Around this time, Maxwell began in earnest to pursue a solo career, including a concert at St Andrew’s Church in Psalter Lane in October 2019.

In December 2020, he collaborated with 11 Sheffield artists to record Sailing On Tears, a single in support of Refugee Action and City of Sanctuary, and also performed at Sheffield’s Festival On The Square in August 2021.

He collaborated with Chesterfield music producer Glenn Bolton to record I’ll Be Waiting, in January 2022, a song about the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He also has strong ties with Stannington Brass Band, who he helped return to the stage after the pandemic as a special guest when they performed at the Lomas Hall, Stannington, in October 2021.

Now, the 32-year-old is on his way to the finals of BGT, and, as of May 31, is the bookies’ favourite to win, with odds of 6/4.

Following his first performance, broadcast on May 27, Simon Cowell said: “My god, that was extraordinary. I mean, seriously, you were so shy, and quiet and then that happened.”

Maxwell will be competing in the live final on Sunday, June 5, for a chance of winning £250,000.