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BGT star dances for last time before undergoing surgery Simon Cowell paid for

Julia Carlile and the MerseyGirls performed at a festival in Liverpool on Sunday

It was an emotional time for Britain’s Got Talent star Julia Carlile on Sunday.

The dancer performed for the last time before she flies over to America to undergo an operation for her condition, scoliosis.

Julia, 15, stunned the crowds at Formby Festival in Liverpool.

There were previous reports that media mogul Simon Cowell was paying for her life-changing surgery, but neither of them had actually confirmed it.

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But now, Julia has confirmed that he has paid for it.

Simon spoke to her after her performance on BGT with her dance troupe MerseyGirls.

Talking to the Liverpool Echo, the teen said: “Simon came and spoke to us backstage.  Just walking off stage he said he was paying for it and I couldn’t believe it.

“Annie came up to me and said Simon wants to speak to us. He said we did a really good performance.”

The life-changing operation costs £157,000 and Simon, 57, kindly offered to pay the whole amount.

Julia and her family will fly to New York on Sunday, and the TV star will then get the surgery in New Jersey.

It has completely restored her hope in being able to dance again.

The procedure will involve screws being put along a cord inside her back, which is called vertebral body tethering.

It could be anywhere from six weeks to six months to recover fully.

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Julia and her dance group, made up of Annie and Alice, both 17, Rebecca, 16, and 14-year-old Poppy, cried after their performance at the festival in Liverpool.

“It was quite sad. I’m not going to see any of the girls now before my surgery. We were all crying and saying bye to each other, hugging and crying. We are really, really close friends.”

Posting a snap of herself on Instagram with a face covered in glitter, she wrote: “Today’s performance with @merseygirls was very emotional, our last one before my surgery💜”.

We hope that she is going to be just fine, and will be back on that stage in no time.

Good luck, Julia!


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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