Dad of a wannabe star on Gary Barlow’s new talent show Let It Shine was an IRA terrorist who was jailed for 25 years
Deaglan Arthurs, 18, is the son of ex IRA brigade commander Brian who was jailed for 25 years
LET It Shine hopeful Deaglan Arthurs is the son of a convicted IRA terrorist who was jailed for 25 years.
Deaglan, 18, of Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland, was seen last week reaching the next stages of the BBC contest singing New York, New York.
The fresh-faced hopeful impressed the Let it Shine judging panel last week with his charismatic rendition of Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York.
The performance saw him win a standing ovation from all four judges, while Gary Barlow gushed he was: “Amazing, absolutely amazing”.
But his dad Brian, 51, is an ex-IRA brigade commander jailed for possessing explosives.
He was released in 2000 after five years under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
In 2012 he was convicted of a £250,000 mortgage fraud and given a suspended jail term.
In 2014 he was named as a chief perpetrator of a gang funding letter bombs by selling counterfeit fags.
He was then said to have “strong” links to the New IRA.
Deaglan’s family were not featured in any video clips on the show.