Diversity face the world's press after triumph

So, who faces the rosier future — the members of Diversity or Susan Boyle? Experience suggests that despite coming second Miss Boyle will make her fortune in the coming months, not the dancers from Essex.

She is, after all, already an international celebrity; Demi Moore is a fan via YouTube, and she has appeared via satellite link on Oprah and Larry King Live. It has been estimated that she could earn £5 million to £8 million.That money could come from a record deal, an advance on her memoirs or possibly a film of her life. There is also the potential to make money from image rights, product endorsements and television appearances — she is said to have been approached to play herself in an episode of Ugly Betty.

There is sound precedent for all of this. Paul Potts, the singer who won the show in 2007, reached No 1 with his first album and is reckoned to have earned £6 million. Though the ability of Miss Boyle to handle the pressures of an international singing career is far from certain, that has not stopped the likes of Simon Cowell from talking her up. “Susan could become the biggest star I’ve discovered,” he said.

What about Diversity? They will perform at the Royal Variety Performance in December and join the Britain’s Got Talent live tour, which starts in a fortnight.

And then? They are not singers, which rules out a record deal. When asked how Cowell was going to make any money out of them, Ashley Banjo said: “That’s something that I can’t answer, however he can do it.”

George Sampson, the breakdancer who won last year’s competition aged 14, is estimated by Cowell to have earned between £250,000 and £300,000. It is not bad, but it is not in the same league as Miss Boyle’s putative earnings. And there are 11 members of Diversity.

Still, at least it beats the £150 they made on their first job.

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