Cowell predicts US hit for 'Talent' act

Simon Cowell has predicted that Britain's Got Talent act Susan Boyle could top the charts in America.

The music mogul was speaking after the 48-year-old from West Lothian performed 'I Dreamed A Dream' from Les Miserables on the first episode of the show's new series.

Boyle's performance has since been viewed by more than 12 million people on Youtube and she featured on US programmes Good Morning America and the NBC Today Show.

Cowell confirmed that the unemployed Scot has now been asked to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show, telling the Daily Mail: "If she went on Oprah I think there's every chance Susan Boyle will have the number one album in America, I will predict that."

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher have also backed the singer in a series of Twitter postings. Kutcher said that Boyle's rendition 'made his night', while Moore said it made her "teary".