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
Wild card: After a tense deliberation between the judges, it was decided Tonikaku will join this year’s finalists in the live grand final
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.
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 Mulan’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.’
Meanwhile, Amanda said: ‘You are a shining example for all the women, we haven’t had a female winner for a long time.’
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’
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.’
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
