The Piano’s Brad Kella Makes Moving Tribute To Foster Care

Brad Kella, winner of Channel 4’s The Piano, has featured in a moving new video about his time in foster care, and how it changed his life.

In the video, filmed in and around his hometown of Liverpool, Brad talks about how his foster carers encouraged him when he displayed an interest and aptitude for music – and even bought him his first keyboard.

“If I didn’t have my foster parents in my life, it would have been so easy for me to go down the wrong path,” Brad said. “I would not be where I am today.

“The impact that fostering’s had on my life – I can’t even put it into words what it’s done for me. If you’re out there thinking about fostering a child, don’t think about it – just do it. Because you’re not just making an impact for that child, you’re making a massive impact for the society around you.”

Brad Kella, Winner of Channel 4’s The Piano

Brad, a self-taught pianist from Liverpool, was placed in foster care at the age of seven. Now, through this film, he’s sharing his story to help others understand the life-changing impact fostering can have.

Brad’s musical skills were discovered by chance, after he was filmed playing one of the public pianos in a shopping centre In Liverpool. Remarkably, after the video went viral, the producers of The Piano managed to track him down, and urged him to audition. In what some would describe as a fairy tale ending, he went on to win the show in 2024.

This new video, made by TACT Fostering along with other members of The Fairer Fostering Partnership, was made to mark Foster Care Fortnight 2025 – a time to truly celebrate the remarkable role foster carers play in empowering children to rediscover their voice and realise their potential.

Another function of Foster Care Fortnight is to highlight the urgent need for new foster carers on a national scale.

Andy Elvin, TACT Fostering CEO and Chair of the Fairer Fostering Partnership, said: “This Foster Care Fortnight, our member agencies have come together to highlight the urgent need for more foster carers. Right now, too many children are being placed far from home or separated from their siblings simply because there aren’t enough carers.

“It’s vital that more people step forward. Every child deserves a safe, stable home – and with the right support, they can thrive and achieve incredible things, just like Brad has.”

Brad Kella’s powerful story is a reminder of how vital foster care can be in helping children to heal from past trauma, empowering them to follow their dreams and aspirations.

Watch Brad’s inspiring story and find out how foster carers change children’s lives every day: