Nurse who appeared on Britain’s Got Talent is named as stabbing victim

Britain’s Got Talent singer Simonne Kerr has died after being stabbed at a flat in Battersea.

The nurse at Guy’s and St Thomas’s Hospital from Grayshott Road, Battersea, participated in the ITV reality competition series as part of The B Positive Choir.

It raised awareness of people battling sickle cell disease, specifically those who are in need of blood donations.

The Metropolitan Police said they were called police was called yesterday (August 15) at 12.38pm. Kerr, aged 31, was pronounced dead at 1.41pm. Her next-of-kin have been informed and a post-mortem examination was due to take place on Thursday.

The B Positive Choir moved Amanda Holden to tears during their first audition, where they performed a rendition of Andra Day’s ‘Rise Up’.

“I found the whole thing really moving,” Amanda said at the time. “Blood donors saved my life and they’re the reason I’m still a mummy to two girls.”

The B Positive Choir were originally voted off the competition at the semi-final stage, but were brought back for the final thanks to the judges’ wild card vote. They finished in 11th place.

In 2015, Kerr lost one of her children, Kavele, to sickle cell anaemia – he had been diagnosed at birth.

At the time of the competition she said: “I got to spend six wonderful years watching Kavele grow and though there were a handful of hospitalisations in his short life, I was positive that he would live a full life into adulthood. I lost him in 2015.

“Kavele was an active chid and he went to school and led as normal a life as he could with sickle cell disease.

“Knowing both myself and Kavele’s dad were carriers of the sickle cell trait meant that my baby would have a one in four chance of developing the condition.

“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.”

Ms Kerr studied to become a nurse, qualifying in January 2018 and joined Guys’ and St Thomas’ Hospital, in February 2018 as a staff nurse in Haematology and Oncology.

Tributes have already appeared on social media. Fellow choir member Calvin Campbell said: “I am saddened beyond words to announce the death of a truly beautiful and special person and fellow B positive choir member Simonne Kerr who was killed yesterday and was hand to God one of strongest people I had the absolute honour to know as well as sing with. And I will miss her so so much.”

Nicole Law said: “Unbelievably saddened to hear of Simone Kerr’s @Kaveles_Mommy tragic death. A member of the BPositive Choir after her precious son Kavele died from Sepsis, newly qualified nurse and volunteer at Sickle Cell Society. Both reunited now Mummy and Child. Sending my deepest love to her family, friends and colleagues.”

Desmond Sylva, 40, from Battersea, has been charged with her murder.