Britain's Got Talent viewers were left in tears by performance from 21 key pandemic workers, including Gillingham nurse Emily Mann and Tunbridge Wells support worker Ryan Weeks.

The Frontline Singers gave a stirring performance of their original song, 'Strange Old World', in the show aired on ITV last night, leaving audience members and judges visibly moved.

Before the song, Emily, a 25-year-old intensive care nurse who works at Medway Hospital, explained the choir was made up of 'nurses, police officers, paramedics, teachers, physios, and some theatre performers who got jobs on the frontline during the pandemic' - bringing cheers and applause from the London Palladium audience.

Also in the group was Tunbridge Wells man Ryan Weeks, a support worker for Aspens Charities, which provides care and support for people on the autism spectrum.

Speaking to KentOnline, he explained there group was formed when musical theatre couple Gina Georgio, 32, and James Beeny, 37, wrote Strange Old World, a song paying tribute to key workers.

They posted on social media that they were searching for frontline workers to perform the track in order to raise money for NHS Charities Together - and Ryan was subsequently approached to join the group.

"It's just such a nice project to be involved with I jumped at the chance," said Ryan, who also performs solo as a singer-songwriter. "Everyone was so lovely. We all came together, and it was really nice hearing everyone's experience; how people have overcome their struggles."

For Ryan and those he supports, those struggles came after he joined Aspens Charities during the second lockdown.

"I work mainly with guys with autism," he said. "Structure is a big thing for them but during lockdown their support network had gone, their activities had gone. It was a hard time for them - we couldn't take them out to have their hair cut, or take them anywhere in the community. We had to help them deal with isolation.

"There's no social distancing in the care home it was a worry dealing with that. It was very hard, but the company was great and gave us a lot of support, making sure we were ok."

The group finally came together on stage at the London Palladium in January - an "amazing" experience which Ryan had to keep a secret until the show aired last night."

"It was almost like a dream, like it didn't happen, but when I watch it back it's amazing to see, and you think 'yes it did happen!'

"It felt like a turning point for us, like all the struggle had led to something good.

"It was very emotional. I watched it last night and it was so surreal - my girlfriend watched it with me and she loved it."

And Ryan also thanked his girlfriend, Chloe, adding: "she's been supportive of me all the way through, and she's always supported my music."

Medway Nurse Emily Mann explained she had just started work as an intensive-care nurse when the pandemic began, and is still processing the traumatic events that unfolded in the months that followed.

Speaking to the Mirror, she said three or four patients were dying during a 12-hour shift at the worst point of the pandemic.

"There are people who died whose names and faces I will always remember because I spent a lot of time with them talking about their lives and built relationships with them," she said. "There was one night shift where I spent 45 minutes with each patient, sitting down with them and reassuring them. The main thing I remember is their overwhelming anxiety."

"I'd tell them 'You'll be fine' but you knew in a few days there was a possibility they could deteriorate and go the other way. All you could do was try and calm them down.

"The situation was always evolving and there was no time to think about what you were doing. It was a matter of coming into work and looking after people."

Emily joined the singers after she was tagged in a post on social media by a friend, and says she was interested because music has always been part of her life.

"When I first heard the song I felt it really summed up what life was like for us," she added. "It also brings a message of hope and positivity, which we all needed to hear. Performing it on BGT was such a privilege."