When Richard and Adam stepped onto the Britain’s Got Talent stage in 2013, they were not alone in chasing their musical dream. Sitting in the audience was someone especially important to them: their Nan.

The Welsh brothers arrived for their audition with their biggest fan there to support them. They then performed “The Impossible Dream,” delivering a vocal performance that impressed the judges and created an emotional moment for their family.

The official Britain’s Got Talent video describes the brothers as sandwich shop workers and says they brought their Nan along for support. The official description also notes that their performance wowed the judges and brought a tear to her eye.

Richard & Adam Bring Their Nan Along

Richard and Adam Johnson were brothers from Holywell, Wales, who became known for their classical-style singing.

Before their television breakthrough, the brothers worked in their family’s sandwich shop. Their official biography says their Nan played an important role in encouraging them to sing when they were younger, introducing them to music by artists including Caruso, Mario Lanza and The Three Tenors.

That family connection made their BGT audition more than just another singing performance.

Their Nan was there in the audience as the brothers took their chance on one of Britain’s biggest talent shows.

The official BGT description specifically calls her their “biggest fan,” making her presence an important part of the story behind the audition.

They Chose “The Impossible Dream”

For their audition, Richard and Adam performed “The Impossible Dream,” a song from the musical Man of La Mancha.

The song became closely associated with the brothers during their BGT journey. Their official biography describes their performance style as a classical-crossover interpretation of the song.

It was a demanding choice that allowed both brothers to showcase their voices together.

Instead of performing a contemporary pop song, they leaned into the dramatic, classical character of “The Impossible Dream.”

The result was a performance built around their voices and the emotional message of the song.

Their Nan Became Part of the Moment

One of the most memorable aspects of the audition was seeing their Nan supporting them from the audience.

The official BGT video specifically says the performance brought a tear to her eye. That detail gives the audition a personal dimension beyond the competition itself.

For Richard and Adam, performing on the BGT stage was an opportunity to show viewers what they could do. For their Nan, it was also a chance to see two brothers she had encouraged to sing take a major step in their musical journey.

Their official biography credits their Nan as one of their biggest influences and says she encouraged them to follow an opera career.

The Judges Put Richard & Adam Through

The brothers’ audition was successful, and the judges put them through to the next stage of the competition.

Their BGT journey continued beyond the audition. Richard and Adam eventually reached the 2013 grand final, where they performed “The Impossible Dream” again. Their official biography confirms that they made the final with their classical-crossover version of the song.

The brothers ultimately finished third in the competition. ITV coverage from the time identifies Richard and Adam Johnson as BGT finalists from Holywell and later reported that their debut album, The Impossible Dream, reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart.

That makes the original audition particularly interesting to revisit.

It was the performance that introduced the brothers to a much wider television audience and began a journey that took them all the way to the BGT final.

“The Impossible Dream” Became Their Signature

The song did not disappear after their audition.

Richard and Adam performed “The Impossible Dream” again in the BGT final, making it one of the defining songs of their appearance on the show. Their official website says they reached the 2013 final performing their classical-crossover version of the song.

Their debut album was also named The Impossible Dream.

ITV reported in August 2013 that the album went straight to No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart.

That connection between the audition song and their later album gave “The Impossible Dream” an especially important place in the brothers’ early career.

What began as an audition performance became part of the title and identity of their first major album.

Two Brothers With a Shared Musical Dream

Richard and Adam’s story is ultimately about more than one performance.

Their BGT audition introduced viewers to two brothers from Wales who had developed their singing together and were supported by their Nan.

The brothers’ official biography explains that their Nan encouraged them to sing from a young age, while they later developed their skills through live performances and professional work.

That history gives their audition a simple but compelling emotional foundation.

They were not strangers to singing. They had spent years developing their voices. BGT simply gave them a much larger stage on which to share them.

And their Nan was there to see it happen.

Why Richard & Adam’s Audition Still Stands Out

The appeal of Richard and Adam’s audition comes from several elements working together.

There are the voices, of course.

There is also the song: “The Impossible Dream,” a dramatic classic that suited their classical-crossover style.

And then there is their Nan, sitting in the audience as the brothers performed.

The official BGT video brings those elements together by highlighting both the brothers’ performance and their Nan’s emotional response.

Their later success adds another layer of context. They went from BGT audition contestants to finalists, and their debut album reached the top of the UK Albums Chart.

Looking back, the audition feels like the beginning of a much larger musical chapter for the brothers.

Final Thoughts

Richard and Adam’s performance of “The Impossible Dream” was one of the memorable auditions from Britain’s Got Talent 2013.

The Welsh brothers arrived with their Nan supporting them, performed a song that would become closely associated with their BGT journey, and earned their place in the competition.

They would eventually reach the grand final, finish third, and release an album called The Impossible Dream that reached No. 1 in the UK.

But it all started with two brothers stepping onto the BGT stage—and their Nan watching proudly from the audience.