The mum of Britain’s Got Talent singer Malakai Paul has insisted that it was his choice to audition.
Some viewers felt Saturday’s show was uncomfortable, as the 9-year-old broke down in tears on stage during his song.
But mum Toni-Ann, who rushed on stage with Alesha Dixon to comfort Malakai, insists the show isn’t too much for her son.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Toni-Ann insisted: “If he didn’t want to do it I would not let him on the show. He pestered me to do it, he fought back and did his thing and now he is enjoying it.
“He is benefiting from what he is doing. He is not being exploited at all. If a child has a voice like him, why not let people hear what he has got?”
Young Malakai was given another chance to try the track – Listen by Beyonce – and went on to wow the judges.
Simon Cowell told him: “I’ve got to tell you, what I like about you; you’re brave, you know you, you got off to a bad start but you picked yourself up and people are going to like you a lot.”
Speaking to the newspaper, Malakai added: “I am fine now, but I was nervous, it was nerve-wracking. When Alesha came to speak to me she said, ‘do you want to do it again?’ and then she hugged me.
A spokesperson for Britain’s Got Talent said: “Malakai wanted to audition and was accompanied by his mother at all times.
“We have stringent procedures in place relating to children who appear in our programmes, the welfare of all contestants is our number one priority.”
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