Susan Boyle’s learning disability and imaginary friend

Susan Boyle’s admission to a mental hospital following her shock loss in Britain’s Got Talent has raised questions about her suitability to appear on the program.

It has been disclosed that Boyle suffered a range of mental health problems before appearing on the show, including a learning disability. The details of the leaning disability aren’t clear, but it’s believed that Boyle’s reported outbursts, and fragile mental state before and after the final was directly related to this issue.

Another report also claims that Boyle has an imaginary friend. Irene Carter, the mother of a member of the act Sugar Free, told local media: “Susan was acting very strangely all week. She is odd and is constantly talking to herself. One time, staff working on the show backstage asked if she was OK and she said she was talking to her friend. She then introduced everyone in the room to this ‘friend’ – who wasn’t actually there.” Boyle was also reported to have left long messages for her cat pebbles.

Any mental health issues Boyle had should not have prohibited her from appearing on the show, but likewise there are reasonable questions surrounding the exploitation of Boyle by show producers given her mental state. Even the healthiest people would have struggled with the attention Boyle received, that Boyle had serious issues before appearing makes where we are today not the least bit surprising.