# Collabro
**Collabro** are a British musical theater vocal group formed in London in 2014 who won the eighth series of *Britain's Got Talent* and reached number 1 on the UK Official Albums Chart with their debut album *Stars* later that year.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/45207/collabro/) The group originally consisted of Michael Auger, Jamie Lambert, Matthew Pagan, Thomas J. Redgrave, and Richard Hadfield, and has continued as a quartet since Hadfield's departure in 2016.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/45207/collabro/) • [2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/collabro-mn0003273514)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Formed | 2014, London, England; assembled as a group of strangers in January 2014[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/collabro-mn0003273514) • [3](https://www.allmusic.com/album/stars-mw0002690743) |
| *Britain's Got Talent* | Winners of the eighth series, 2014; £250,000 prize and a slot at the Royal Variety Performance[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/45207/collabro/) • [4](https://www.itv.com/britainsgottalent/articles/is-the-winner-of-britains-got-talent-2014) |
| Original members | Michael Auger, Jamie Lambert, Matthew Pagan, Thomas J. Redgrave, Richard Hadfield (until 2016)[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/45207/collabro/) |
| Biggest chart hit | *Stars* (August 2014), UK Albums Chart number 1 for 1 week, 27 weeks on the chart[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/45207/collabro/) |
| Chart totals | 1 UK number 1, 2 top 10 albums, 3 top 40 albums, 37 weeks in the top 75[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/45207/collabro/) |
| Label history | Syco (Simon Cowell), then Peak Productions from 2017, then BMG from 2020[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/collabro-mn0003273514) • [5](https://www.liverpoolphil.com/media/232947/apr-aug-19-whats-on-guide-large-print.pdf) |
| Current project | Album *The Return*, released 6 November 2026, with a six-venue UK tour in summer 2027[6](https://www.collabro-online.com/) |
## Britain's Got Talent 2014
The five men, strangers when they assembled in January 2014, auditioned for *Britain's Got Talent* one month later and performed "Stars" from *Les Misérables* at their first appearance, a song that became their signature.[3](https://www.allmusic.com/album/stars-mw0002690743) • [7](https://www.itv.com/britainsgottalent/articles/interview-have-collabro-got-a-hit-record-on-their-hands) In the final on 7 June 2014 they won the series with what the show's own coverage described as one of the biggest majorities ever recorded on the program, taking the £250,000 prize and a slot at the [Royal Variety Performance](https://www.edgepedia.org/royal-variety-performance); opera singer Lucy Kay came second and [Bars and Melody](https://www.edgepedia.org/bars-and-melody) third.[4](https://www.itv.com/britainsgottalent/articles/is-the-winner-of-britains-got-talent-2014) • [5](https://www.liverpoolphil.com/media/232947/apr-aug-19-whats-on-guide-large-print.pdf) They were the first singing group to win the show.[8](https://www.whattowatch.com/news/britains-got-talent-winners-629519)
Jamie Lambert, then 23 and from Washington in [Tyne and Wear](https://www.edgepedia.org/tyne-and-wear), had joined the group only a month before the auditions and had been working in a hospital on South Tyneside.[9](https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/story/2014-06-08/collabro-wins-britains-got-talent/) In a post-audition interview, member Michael Auger said the five-piece had formed around their shared love of musical theater and its five- or six-part harmonies, and that viewers had compared them to "a musical theatre One Direction".[7](https://www.itv.com/britainsgottalent/articles/interview-have-collabro-got-a-hit-record-on-their-hands)
## Recording career
**Syco years.** The group signed to [Simon Cowell](https://www.edgepedia.org/simon-cowell)'s Syco imprint and released *Stars* in August 2014, a 38-minute album of studio versions of the songs that won them the title, including "Stars" and "Bring Him Home" from *Les Misérables*, alongside musical theater numbers such as "Let It Go", "Come What May", and "Over the Rainbow", plus pop selections by [John Legend](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-legend) and [OneRepublic](https://www.edgepedia.org/onerepublic).[3](https://www.allmusic.com/album/stars-mw0002690743) It entered the UK Official Albums Chart at number 1 and spent 27 weeks on the chart.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/45207/collabro/) The follow-up *Act Two* (June 2015) peaked at number 2.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/45207/collabro/)
**Lineup change and Peak Productions.** Richard Hadfield left the group in 2016, and Collabro continued as a quartet on 2017's *Home*, their first release for Peak Productions.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/collabro-mn0003273514) *Home*, released in March 2017, collected stage classics and fan favorites and included their first original song, "Lighthouse"; it peaked at number 7.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/45207/collabro/) • [5](https://www.liverpoolphil.com/media/232947/apr-aug-19-whats-on-guide-large-print.pdf) *Road to the Royal Albert Hall* followed in September 2018, peaking at number 19.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/45207/collabro/)
**BMG and later releases.** Collabro left Peak Productions to sign with BMG, and their debut for the label was their fourth studio album, *Love Like This* (2020).[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/collabro-mn0003273514) It peaked at number 22 in November 2019, and the Christmas album *Christmas Is Here* reached number 80 in December 2020.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/45207/collabro/) Later single releases include "Mistletoe and Wine" (2021), "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (2022), "From Now On" and "Secrets" (2026), and "The Point Of No Return" (October 2026); a live album, *Collabro - Live In London*, appeared in 2025.[10](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/collabro/474409866)
## The Return
In 2026 the group announced *The Return*, described on their official site as their first major musical theater album in seven years, released on 6 November 2026.[6](https://www.collabro-online.com/) A six-venue UK tour follows in summer 2027: the [Queen's Hall](https://www.edgepedia.org/queens-hall) in Edinburgh (28 May), the Glasshouse in [Gateshead](https://www.edgepedia.org/gateshead) (29 May), the Victoria Theatre in Halifax (30 May), Symphony Hall in [Birmingham](https://www.edgepedia.org/birmingham) (4 June), the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester (5 June), and Cadogan Hall in London (6 June).[6](https://www.collabro-online.com/) Album pre-orders carry a presale code for tour tickets, and copies pre-ordered during August 2026 are signed by the group.[6](https://www.collabro-online.com/)
The album launch takes place at the Bloomsbury Theatre in London on 7 November 2026, with the world-premiere screening of the documentary *Making The Return*, a question-and-answer session, and the debut live performance of the entire album.[6](https://www.collabro-online.com/) Cadogan Hall's listing for the 2027 London date describes the show as a return to the group's roots in musical theater, with new music performed live for the first time, and prices from £29.50 to £103.50 for VIP tickets that include a meet-and-greet and a photo with the group.[11](https://cadoganhall.com/whats-on/collabro-the-return-2027/) Earlier in 2026 the group also toured UK cathedrals on the Harmonies Tour, piano-led concerts that included songs from a previously unperformed choral album, *Be Still My Soul*.[12](https://www.collabro-online.com/collabro-official-home-page-harmonies-tour/)
## Style and reception
Collabro specialize in songs from popular stage and screen musicals alongside sentimental pop favorites, blending emotive lead vocals with close group harmonies.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/collabro-mn0003273514) Reviewing *Stars* for AllMusic, Timothy Monger described the debut as essentially a soundtrack to the group's television year, with backing tracks he found overly synthesized, but noted that the group was at its strongest as musical performers.[3](https://www.allmusic.com/album/stars-mw0002690743) The group's own marketing has consistently emphasized its harmonies, from the audition-era description of five- and six-part singing to the cathedral-based Harmonies Tour.[7](https://www.itv.com/britainsgottalent/articles/interview-have-collabro-got-a-hit-record-on-their-hands) • [12](https://www.collabro-online.com/collabro-official-home-page-harmonies-tour/)
## References
1. [COLLABRO songs and albums | full Official Chart history, Official Charts Company](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/45207/collabro/)
2. [Collabro — Biography, Discography, Albums & Expert Reviews, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/collabro-mn0003273514)
3. [Collabro: Stars Review, AllMusic (Timothy Monger)](https://www.allmusic.com/album/stars-mw0002690743)
4. [Collabro are the winners of Britain's Got Talent 2014!, ITV](https://www.itv.com/britainsgottalent/articles/is-the-winner-of-britains-got-talent-2014)
5. [Collabro biography, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic what's-on guide](https://www.liverpoolphil.com/media/232947/apr-aug-19-whats-on-guide-large-print.pdf)
6. [Collabro official website: The Return announcement](https://www.collabro-online.com/)
7. [Interview: Have Collabro got a hit record on their hands?, ITV](https://www.itv.com/britainsgottalent/articles/interview-have-collabro-got-a-hit-record-on-their-hands)
8. [Britain's Got Talent winners — full list, WhatToWatch](https://www.whattowatch.com/news/britains-got-talent-winners-629519)
9. [Collabro win Britain's Got Talent, ITV News Tyne Tees](https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/story/2014-06-08/collabro-wins-britains-got-talent/)
10. [Collabro on Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/collabro/474409866)
11. [Collabro, The Return, Cadogan Hall listing](https://cadoganhall.com/whats-on/collabro-the-return-2027/)
12. [Collabro: The Harmonies Tour 2026 announcement](https://www.collabro-online.com/collabro-official-home-page-harmonies-tour/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Ensembles and groups › Choirs and vocal groups › Gospel, barbershop, and popular vocal groups › Pop and rock vocal groups (general)*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license