‘She was the best tapper out there’
07:24, 28 Jun 2025Updated 06:30, 29 Jun 2025
Chantel Bellew
A talented dancer who appeared on Britain’s Got Talent took her own life, a coroner has concluded. Chantel Bellew – known for her tap dancing skills – reached the semi-finals of the 2019 series of the hit talent show.
She was rushed to hospital on March 17 this year after taking an overdose of painkillers. She died five days later, aged 34.
An inquest into her death was held this week at Bolton Coroners’ Court. A coroner concluded Ms Bellew – born in Whiston, Merseyside, and who lived in Atherton, Wigan – intentionally took her own life, recording a conclusion of suicide.
Her mother Jill Dawson described her as a ‘beautiful daughter’ and ‘model student’. Alongside her dancing, she worked in a supermarket before becoming as a teaching assistant.
Chantel died aged 34
The inquest was told Ms Bellew suffered with mental health problems for ‘quite some time’. She was admitted to a unit as an inpatient in November 2020, during the Covid lockdown.
Assistant coroner John Pollard said she had a ‘loving relationship’ with wife Genna Timewell, but added: “Despite this she remained to some extent unsettled and unsure of herself.”
The hearing was told, Ms Timewell returned home around 2pm and assumed nobody was home as the gate was shut and the door locked.
She told the inquest she felt something ‘wasn’t right’ and that she was ‘really worried’. Ms Bellew had been ‘in such a good mood’ that morning, she added.
Chantel Bellew on Britain’s Got Talent(Image: ITV)
Ms Timewell said she messaged her and asked her to go home. She said she rang her father-in-law, who said Ms Bellew wasn’t with him.
Ms Timewell told the court she received a message from Ms Bellew, with a number of kisses, reading: “I’m good, I’m grand.”
She said she messaged back suggesting they go to Wales to ‘get away for a week’ and ‘leave it all behind’.
Ms Timewell said she then heard a noise in the attic room before seeing Chantel ‘stumbling down the stairs’ and ‘walking very unsteadily and looking disorientated’.
She rang 999 and was given ‘the rather curious advice not to cause the patient to vomit’, Mr Pollard said.
After being told it would take 40 minutes for an ambulance to arrive, Ms Timewell drove Ms Bellew to Royal Bolton Hospital.
She was admitted to the intensive care unit and initially seemed to ‘slightly improve’, the hearing was told.
Ms Bellew began to deteriorate before being transferred to St James University Hospital in Leeds for specialist treatment. She died there on March 22.
A post-mortem found she died of toxicity of a painkiller. Mr Pollard said Ms Bellew ‘took the excess of tablets knowing the outcome would almost certainly be fatal and that she deliberately did so, at the that time, when she knew that Genna was not there to stop her’.
Bolton Coroner’s Court where the inquest was heard(Image: Manchester Evening News)
The coroner said he was ‘satisfied on the balance of probabilities’ Ms Bellew ‘took the drugs to end her own life’, recording a conclusion of suicide.
Following her death, Ms Bellew loved ones spoke of the ‘beautiful impact she had on everyone who knew her’.
“Chantel was more than a daughter, wife, sister, niece, cousin and friend. She was a kind, loving, and passionate spirit who brought joy and laughter to so many,” they added.
“Chantel was a talent second to none who was the life and soul of every party.”
Ms Bellew appeared on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent in 2019, impressing with a military-themed group dance routine. Hosts Ant and Dec were left in stitches as two male dancers ripped her costume off at the end, revealing a Union Jack bodice.
Friend and fellow performer Katy Glover, paying tribute, said: “She was such a whirlwind – the life and soul of the party and such a bundle of life.
“She lived and breathed glamour and showbiz and she was a fantastic tap dancer, she did a number of Britain’s Got Talent which she loved, and she kept telling everyone.
“Chantel said she’d had a brilliant time and treated it as another audition because she was so professional, and she was so determined.
“She also taught Anton Du Beke tap as well because tap was her life, she was the best tapper out there. She was incredible, one of a kind, sparkly and loving and loyal.”
Help and support
Samaritans (116 123) samaritans.org operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org, write to Freepost SAMARITANS LETTERS (no more information needed) and visit www.samaritans.org/branches to find your nearest branch.
For support for people feeling suicidal, if you are concerned about someone or if you are bereaved by suicide see http://shiningalightonsuicide.org.uk
CALM (0800 58 58 58) thecalmzone.net has a helpline is for men who are down or have hit a wall for any reason, who need to talk or find information and support. They’re open 5pm to midnight, 365 days a year.
Greater Manchester Bereavement Service Greater Manchester Bereavement Service can help to find support for anyone in Greater Manchester that has been bereaved or affected by a death. No one needs to feel alone as they deal with their grief. www.greater-manchester-bereavement-service.org.uk
Childline (0800 1111 ) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill.
PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.
Beat Eating Disorders: Beat provides helplines for adults and young people offering support and information about eating disorders. These helplines are free to call from all phones. Adult Helpline: 0808 801 0677, Studentline: 0808 801 0811, Youthline: 0808 801 0711. www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk
Anorexia & Bulimia Care: ABC provide on-going care, emotional support and practical guidance for anyone affected by eating disorders, those struggling personally and parents, families and friends. Helpline: 03000 11 12 13. www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk/
Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts. Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying studentsagainstdepression.org
For information and links to charities and organisations that can help with substance abuse, visit https://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/drugs/