BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT FINAL 2023: Lost voices, unpopular judges and one VERY unpredictable wildcard… series sixteen kicks off with a surprise as eleven contestants battle for £250,000 cash prize
After technical issues and a series of switch-offs during Saturday evening’s Britain’s Got Talent semi-final, ITV could be forgiven for crossing fingers and toes as the grand final of their long-running flagship kicked off on Sunday evening.
The show concludes its 16th series with eleven hopeful contestants hoping to win a £250,000 cash prize and the opportunity and the chance to perform at the Royal Variety Performance in front of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
After a tense semi-final singer Amy Lou will be joined by magician Cillian O’Connor, acrobats Duo Odyssey, dance troupe Ghetto Kids, dancers Lillianna Clifton and Musa Motha, opera singer Malakai Bayoh, singers Olivia Lynes and Travis George and comedians Tonikaku and Viggo Venn.
Ghetto kids blew the crowd away as they kicked off the talent shows grand final at the Hammersmith Apollo with an energetic dance routine.
The six kids, aged five to 13, are orphans who live together in Uganda after being rescued from the streets by their ‘dad’ Daouda Kavuma.
Grand final: Ghetto kids blew the crowd away as they kicked off the talent shows grand final at the Hammersmith Apollo with an energetic dance routine
Talented: Priscila, 12, Asharif, 12, Akram, 13, Shakib, 12, Madwanah, 13 and Josephine, five, showed off their moves to a medley of upbeat songs
Priscila, 12, Asharif, 12, Akram, 13, Shakib, 12, Madwanah, 13 and Josephine, five, showed off their moves to a medley of upbeat songs.
They impressed despite one of the members being unable to dance after contracting malaria but he joined in by holding up the Uganda flag while they were showered by golden glitter.
Bruno said: ‘Seeing you makes me feel happy to be alive… you really are the pride of Africa.’
Alesha said: ‘I can’t put it into words how much joy you have brought us this year – You’ve done Uganda proud.’
Head judge Simon Cowell asked the ‘joyous’ group to come back every single year, adding: ‘This isn’t easy, you’ve got a few days to prepare something, in terms of personality, talent, everything worked… for me by a mile this was your best performance.’
The kids pledged to scoop the £250,000 cash prize and use the money to build a home in Uganda for ‘kids like them’.
Next up was Olivia Lynes, 11, who performed a powerful rendition of Let It Go from Frozen.
She sang stood on a giant icicle while dressed in a blue dress and said afterwards: ‘I feel like a Disney princess’.
Amanda said: ‘You definitely let it go Olivia, the whole thing was pitch perfect, you are a little star – I just cannot believe the power house that you are.’
Simon said he detected a few nerves at the beginning of the song, but Alesha disagreed, saying: ‘Confident and composed – I feel like you’re living your fairy tale and dreams and I hope to one day see you on the West End stage.’
Amy Lou wowed the judges with her vocals while singing Christina Aguilera’s Reflection, with Amanda telling her: ‘We haven’t had a female winner in too long’.
The singer, 34, gave birth to her second child just hours after her first audition aired in April and recently revealed she nearly died while giving birth to her first child Hudson, following complications with Sepsis.
Alesha said: ‘I think we should put some perspective on this, here you are, shining composed… I am just so proud of you.’
Wild card: After a tense deliberation between the judges, it was decided Tonikaku will join this year’s finalists in the live grand final
Talented: Next up was Olivia Lynes, 11, who performed a powerful rendition of Let It Go from Frozen
She sang stood on a giant icicle while dressed in a blue dress and said afterwards: ‘I feel like a Disney princess’
Amy Lou wowed the judges with her vocals while singing Mulan’s Reflection, with Amanda telling her: ‘We haven’t had a female winner in too long’
Alesha said: ‘I think we should put some perspective on this, here you are, shining composed… I am just so proud of you.’
Performer: Travis George impressed the judges with his unique take on popular song This Is Me from The Greatest Showman
Meanwhile, Amanda said: ‘You are a shining example for all the women, we haven’t had a female winner for a long time.’
South Wales’ Travis George impressed the judges with his unique take on popular song This Is Me from The Greatest Showman.
After his performance, the 22-year-old said: ‘As a person who struggles with anxiety and came from nothing, to be in the finals of Britain’s Got Talent, thank you to everyone who made this the beautiful experience that it is.’
Alesha commented after the performance: ‘I thought the song choice was perfect, I’ll be honest I didn’t enjoy the vocal arrangement of the song’
Acrobats Duo Odyssey, made up of married couple Max and Sophia, sent the stage alight with their dangerous aerobatics routine.
They danced and performed a number of thrilling lifts and daredevil spins while hanging from a set of straps suspended from the ceiling.
Amanda said: ‘The drama, the chemistry, the choreography, you smashed it again, it was utterly stunning’.
Beautiful: Acrobats Duo Odyssey, made up of married couple Max and Sophia, sent the stage alight with their dangerous aerobatics routine
Elegant: They danced and performed a number of thrilling lifts and daredevil spins while hanging from a set of straps suspended from the ceiling
Amanda said: ‘The drama, the chemistry, the choreography, you smashed it again, it was utterly stunning’
Magic: Irish schoolboy Cillian O’Connor, 13, wowed the judges with an impressive magic routine which saw co-host Anthony McPartlin disappear
Irish schoolboy Cillian O’Connor, 13, wowed the judges with an impressive magic routine which saw co-host Anthony McPartlin disappear.
After the performance, the judges and viewers at home were left absolutely stunned by the act, with Simon saying:’I just think you’ve obviously got magical powers and I believe in that.’
Viggo Venn has won over the nation with his very unique act, which involved him wearing his iconic Hi-Vis jacket, along with the judges and audience.
He called back to his hilarious audition, by stripping off his jacket to Daft Punk’s One More Time at the end.
Simon told the Norwegian comedian: ‘I’ve never met an act like you in my life, I didn’t like you but I really love you now’
In Friday’s last live show, Simon Cowell confirmed there would be a lucky eleventh act making the final tonight.
Simon Cowell and fellow judges Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and Bruno Tonioli decided one of the top three acts who missed out to be given a second chance.
After a tense deliberation between the judges, it was decided Tonikaku will join this year’s finalists in the live grand final.
He finished third in Friday’s semi-final, with Simon saying: ‘We just had to have him in the final. It wouldn’t be the same without him.’
Simon shockingly lost his voice during Britain’s Got Talent ‘s live final on Sunday.
The music mogul, 63, could be seen coughing and spluttering as he pointed at his throat, throwing the show into chaos.
Shock! Simon Cowell shockingly lost his voice during Britain’s Got Talent’s live final on Sunday
Talent show: Simon Cowell and fellow judges Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and Bruno Tonioli decided one of the top three acts who missed out to be given a second chance
Hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly , both 47, were forced to quickly move with Simon unable to give act Amy Lou his feedback.
After the new mum sang a beautiful rendition of Reflection by Christina Aguilera the hosts turned to hear the judge’s feedback.
Simon stood pointing at the throat, unable to speak, before pointing at his fellow judges, with Amanda Holden, 52, quickly intervening saying: ‘He’s got something stuck in his throat!’.
The Geordie duo then swiftly moved on to hear from Bruno Toniloi as Simon could be seen attempting to regain his composure.
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