At 87, Diana finally lived her lifelong dream — performing as a concert pianist in the tear-filled finale of The Piano. A widow from North Wales and former RAF musician, she composed Dreams in memory of her late husband Phil, who died after battling Parkinson’s. Her haunting piano performance earned a roaring standing ovation and deep praise from judges MIKA and Jon Batiste. “From a young age I dreamt of this moment,” she said, “and it’s taken all of my 87 years.” Diana’s journey became a moving testament to love, resilience, and the enduring power of dreams that refuse to die.

87-year-old fulfils lifelong dream of becoming a concert pianist in emotional finale of The Piano

Diana, an 87-year-old widow and RAF veteran from North Wales, brought audiences to tears with her moving original composition in the Season 3 finale of The Piano. Her piece, titled Dreams, was written in memory of her husband Phil, who passed away in 2021 after battling Parkinson’s disease. The couple had been married for 63 years.

“For as long as I can remember, I dreamt of being a concert pianist,” Diana shared. “It took me all of 87 years to get here, and my message is simple: never give up on your dreams.”

Diana first performed Dreams on an upright piano at Newcastle train station as part of Channel 4’s feel-good music competition. Her tender, heartfelt performance earned a standing ovation and high praise from judges Jon Batiste and MIKA. Batiste affectionately referred to her as “the Queen of England” in admiration.

Her final performance at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead featured a newly arranged version of Dreams for piano and string quartet, played on a Steinway grand. She explained that the melody came to her during a moment of deep grief: “One evening, I felt utterly lost. I sat at the piano and started dreaming with my hands. That’s when the music found me.”

All seven finalists, including Diana, were gifted a piano — a tradition from previous seasons. Diana now joins the ranks of previous winners like Lucy Illingworth and Brad Kella, who have gone on to release albums and perform on major classical stages.

“I never thought I was good enough,” Diana said. “But here I am. I want people to know that even at 87, your dreams are still waiting for you.”