THE last two weeks have been “life-changing” for a student from Leytonstone who has been propelled into the limelight after being crowned winner of Britain’s Got Talent.

Ike Ezekwugo was part of the 11-strong street dance troupe, Diversity, which won the reality talent show competition on May 31.

He said he is busy rehearsing with his dynamic group of 12-25 year olds for the Britain’s Got Talent Live tour, which starts on Friday.

He said: “It has been a life-changing experience - words cannot explain how I feel about it. "We just wanted to do our best but we weren’t expecting to win, so we were shocked to find out we were winners.

“It has been manic going on television and doing lots of interviews. When we are together we get spotted and people are shocked to see us, so it is weird because I have gone from being a normal person to being noticed. It has been crazy.”

The 21-year-old said he quickly become independent after he was moved away from his parents when he was 16 years old.

His mother divides time between her native Nigeria and Dublin in Ireland and he has little contact with his father.

Despite this, he has a sturdy support network of family friends, some of whom he lives with in Leytonstone, did well at school and has just graduated from Greenwich University with a degree in Human Resources Management.

He said: “I have had to become independent and to motivate myself to do things.

“My mum has always gone on about the importance of education. When I told her I was going on the programme she didn’t know what it was, so I didn’t even bother explaining it to her. She was worried about me neglecting my studies. But when I told her we had won she was very happy.

“It has been hard switching between dancing and studying, doing my dissertation and so on. But it all came together in the end and I am hoping for at least a 2:1.”

Mr Ezekwugo said he has always had a natural flair for dancing and was self-taught. Growing up watching the likes of Michael Jackson on television, he would then mimic the moves and started to get interested in street dance aged 10.

A chance introduction to the group’s choreographer, Ashley Banjo, by a mutual friend meant led to him joining the dance studio where Diversity later formed.

He said of the group: “We spend so much time together, when we are not together it feels weird and we miss each other. It is like a family to me.”

After the Britain’s Got Talent Live tour, Diversity will be performing at the T4 on the Beach concert, the O2 Wireless Festival and at the Royal Variety Performance.