'Britain's Got Talent' Wheelchair Dancer Paula Moulton Dead at 52: 'We Are Devastated'

Moulton, who made it to the semifinals of 'Britain's Got Talent' alongside dance partner Gary Lyness in 2012, previously opened about the long-haul effects of a 1995 MRSA infection

Paula Moulton and Gary Lyness 'Britain's Got Talent' Semi-Final, TV Programme, London, Britain
Photo:

Ken McKay/Thames/Shutterstock 

Britain's Got Talent alum Paula Moulton has died. She was 52.

On Wednesday, Moulton’s act Strictly Wheels confirmed her death in a Facebook post, sharing, “We are devastated to announce the sudden passing of our co-founder Paula.”

“Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this extremely sad time,” the post read. “Paula's legacy will always live in our memories from her utter joy of dance.”

The post also included a video — set to Walk the Moon’s "Shut Up and Dance" — showcasing Moulton over the years, including moments with her dance partner Gary Lyness. 

Her cause of death has not yet been announced.

Moulton and Lyness made it to the semifinals of Britain's Got Talent in 2012. During the audition phase, the judges praised the pair’s performance. Judge David Walliams shared, “I thought that was amazing, you turned what might've been a negative, into a positive ... it was absolutely fantastic.”

Following her appearance on the show, Moulton — who used a wheelchair — opened up about the effects of a MRSA infection in 1995. 

“I got pneumonia and in hospital I contracted MRSA and it damaged my pelvis, my lower spine, my hips and my femurs,” she told the Daily Star. “I’ve got nerve damage. I can stand but I can’t walk and I use leg splints when I do stand.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MRSA is "a type of bacteria that is resistant to several antibiotics."

Paula Moulton 'This Morning' TV Programme, London, Britain - 16 Apr 2012

Ken McKay/Shutterstock 

Moulton noted that she couldn’t remember a lot of her hospitalization because she was “so ill.”

"It should have killed me because I had septicemia. I’m lucky to be alive,” she shared. “When I was told I’d be in a wheelchair it was actually a relief because I was falling over and I was so exhausted. Initially I managed to get up on crutches but it was causing so much damage that the only option was to use a chair full-time."

Strictly Wheels - Paula Moulton
Paula Moulton on 'Britain's Got Talent'.

Ken McKay/Thames/Shutterstock 

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Moulton and Lyness co-founded the charity Strictly Wheels in 2016 to provide classes and raise awareness for wheelchair dancing.

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