Singer and rapper Ashley Gray has come out as transgender via a video posted on his personal TikTok account. 

A participant on the 2013 series of Britain’s Got Talent, Gray sang and rapped his way into the finals with original songs. His single Lighters (The One) charted in the UK top ten after the finale. 

On TikTok, Gray revealed he had been on the waiting list for a gender clinic but has now had his first appointment. Gray changed his name from Ash to Ashley Gray officially “a couple of months ago”. 

“Basically, I have some exciting news,” Gray said. “So, if you didn’t know, I’m trans and I’ve been waiting on the gender clinic waiting list for quite a while. Yesterday I had my first appointment, which is really exciting.” 

Gray continued, “It went really well, I mean, I just cried the whole time, but it went really well. Which means I’m going to be able to change my name on my passport and my gender marker on my passport, which is exciting.”

Updating his audience on his personal journey, Gray expressed that the excess wait times caused him to switch from the NHS gender clinic to a private one. After seven months of waiting, Gray finally had his first appointment. 

@ashgraysongs lil update 😁❤️ #transftm ♬ original sound – Ash

The singer and rapper shared that he will continue to update his fans via TikTok about his transition: “I feel like I’m going to have updates soon on when I can start T (testosterone). I’ll have to see how long it’s gonna be for top surgery. 

“I’m just really excited and I will actually keep you guys updated now because I feel like I’m actually getting somewhere with this.”

Gray re-recorded his hit single Lighters (the one) in 2021 for the eighth anniversary of his appearance on the show. Since Britain’s Got Talent, he has appeared on the BBC reality competition show All Together Now as one of its 100 panel of judges.