Why Susan's still a winner: click here

Susan Boyle fans were in shock last night as she came second in the finals of Britain's Got Talent.

She had topped off a tumultuous week with a superb performance singing the song that made her famous, “I Dreamed A Dream” from “Les Miserables."

Judge Piers Morgan hailed her song as “the greatest performance” in the reality competition’s history.

“That to me was the greatest performance I’ve seen in ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ history… you should win. I loved it,” Piers said.

But American Idol judge Simon Cowell thought differently.

He went for the dance troupe Diversity saying they were "the only act tonight I'd give a '10' to."

Maybe he thought so but they looked plain ordinary to us. The guys who street dance outside the Public Library on 42nd Street do a better job. Hell the subway riders on the #4 train look better. And Diversity sounded awful too.

Amanda Holden had been close to tears at Susan't performance. “You did it, girl, you did it for Scotland,” Amanda said adding that American Idol judge Simon had "a tear in his eye.”

Cowell himself had paid tribute to Boyle's determination saying he "absolutely adored" her.

"You could have walked away [from the competition] and you could have had a lot of stuff coming your way in America,” Simon said.

“Win or lose, you had the guts to come back here tonight, face your critics and you beat them and that’s the most [important] thing…. You can walk away with your head held high. I absolutely adore you.”

He said he was glad to have met the “real Susan Boyle,” who he described as “a very nice, shy person who deserves a break.”

Boyle, whose parents Patrick and Bridget both came from Ireland has said that the death of her mother had inspired her to enter the TV talent show.

"I wanted to show her I could do something with my life," Boyle said.

No one can doubt that she has certainly accomplished that.

Diversity will probably become another one-win sensation while Boyle looks set for a new singing future.

However, they also walk away with about $159,000 and the chance to sing for the Queen of England.

One hardly need guess which act the Queen of England would have preferred!