Singing duo Michael & Charlene have been crowned winners of the third Care Sector’s Got Talent competition, after a closely-fought grand finale performed in front of a live audience.

The judging panel chose Charlene Reeves and Michael Gallagher, senior care assistant and wellbeing co-ordinator at Hill View Care Home in Glasgow, as the winners of the event after they performed Lady Gaga song Shallow on stage at Derby Arena.

“I had to hold back the tears, especially when you hit those high notes so well,” judge Rob Martin, managing director for care services at care provider Anchor, told the pair. Fellow judge Natalie Ravenscroft, wellbeing support manager at the National Activity Providers Association, said: “Care is about connections and being together and supporting each other, and you have shared that with everyone who is watching.”

Judges Sarah Hyman, chief operating officer at Caring Times, and Sanjay Dhrona, managing director of The Close Care Home, praised the duo’s on-stage chemistry and harmonising skills.

Gallagher has worked at the home for three years, while Reeves has worked in care for around ten years. “It is a job I absolutely love. It is very challenging but so rewarding,” she said.

Care Sector’s Got Talent is run by Championing Social Care to give care staff or those who receive care the opportunity to showcase their talents. “It is good to get people together to show appreciation for what they do,” said Gallagher.

The 2023 finale, which took place on 20 April, was hosted by Majesticare chief executive Angela Boxall, and was live streamed to care homes across the UK, with Adam Parnell and Mark Topps of The Caring View podcast providing backstage interviews.

Second place in the competition was awarded to Kayleigh Morgan, lifestyles co-ordinator at Greenhill Manor Care Home in Merthyr Tydfil, who sang On My Own from Les Miserables. “I’ve loved singing since I was a young child, but unfortunately I had two operations on my vocal cords which knocked my confidence,” she said. “I’m so glad I applied – I’d advise other people not to dither, just find something you are good at and enter!”

Joint third place in the competition was shared by Helena Maskell, senior care assistant at Hartwell Lodge care home in Fareham, and Robert Speker, who works in the activities and life enrichment sector. Maskell gave a heartfelt performance of Billie Eilish song Idontwannabeyouanymore, and Speker played a medley of piano pieces, backed by images from his innovative #CareHomeAlbumCovers project, which recreates classic album covers with care home residents.

Also taking part in the final were singers Frances Gray and Craig Smith, pianist and singer Paul Bekamba, and dance troupe Dost, Mahesh, Dhiya, and Angeca. Vice chair of Championing Social Care Jonathan Freeman said: “Huge congratulations to all of our incredible finalists who came from far and wide across England, Scotland and Wales.”