The Britain’s Got Talent’s latest auditions included a quirky quick-change act, a wartime choir – and David Walliams hitting the Golden Buzzer.
Tonight the ITV show visited Blackpool, with David celebrating the seaside town by donning a hat resembling the Blackpool tower.
Fellow judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon couldn’t believe their eyes as he dropped from the ceiling in his amusing costume.
It wasn’t the only spectacle on stage, with the latest episode featuring a knife-throwing magician and a new dance craze.
Meanwhile, one lucky hopeful joined Tim and Jack Goodacre and Marc Spelmann on the bill for the semi-finals when David gave away his Golden Buzzer place.
Read on for our recap of the results!
The Yesses
Ellie and Jeki (4 yesses) – Ellie and Jeki came all the way from South Korea to do Britain’s Got Talent because it’s “a show people love all over the world”. The married couple – who auditioned on their wedding anniversary – demonstrated a quick change act inspired by several movies, including Inspector Gadget, Singin’ In The Rain and Pretty Woman. “For me that was absolutely pure variety,” said Amanda. “It’s a brilliant, slick, fabulous act.” Alesha called the duo “charming and loveable”.
Noel James (4 yesses) – Exam invigilator and budding comic Noel claims it’s not performing that’s difficult for comedians, but finding work. He pledged to “give up” if he did badly on BGT, so it’s a good thing he had the crowd roaring with laughter. The highlight came when he got his guitar out for a tune – only to play the bag he carries it in instead. “You are a fantastic comedian, you totally deserve to be a household name,” smiled David. “You’re so stupid, in the best way, we need to see you again,” added Alesha.
Audrey Leybourne (3 yesses) – Audrey, aged 90, proved you’re never too old to show the world your talent. With support from her pianist Mitch, she sang the classic song ‘I Want To Be Loved By You’. “You are a remarkable woman,” proclaimed Alesha. “We’ve had an amazing year for women on BGT, and you’re the cherry on top of the cake,” Amanda commented. Simon was late and missed Audrey’s audition, so the other judges’ three yesses meant she left with a full house.
The D-Day Darlings (4 yesses) – The D-Day Darlings are a wartime choir of nine women, all of whom have military connections. They entered the show to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, moving the judges with a performance of Dame Vera Lynn’s ‘We’ll Meet Again’. “It’s so important we remember people, that we keep their spirits alive, and you’re doing that brilliantly,” said Alesha. Simon described their try-out as “classy” and “beautiful”, while Amanda thought they’re “perfect for the royal family”.
Andrew Lee (4 yesses) – Ant and Dec were excited when Malaysian magician Andrew revealed his card trick was dangerous. However, they weren’t quite as enthusiastic when they became involved in the danger. Dec donned a protective board and picked one card from a pack, which Ant threw in the air. While the cards were falling, a blindfolded Andrew threw a KNIFE at Dec, pinning his card to the board. “That was one of the most amazing things I’ve seen,” praised Simon. “Near death, magic, everything I love.”
Aleksandar Mileusnic (4 yesses) – Five years after he gave up trying to crack the music industry, 23-year-old council worker Aleksandar entered BGT, hoping to win the £250,000 prize for his new family. Despite being “extremely nervous”, he surprised the judges with a fantastic swing version of The White Stripes’ ‘Seven Nation Army’. “You have the sweetest tone. The whole performance was charming, seductive, alluring,” gushed Alesha. Simon was even more impressed, saying: “This was so clever, authentic, cool. I feel that I’m witnessing a star being born.”
The Nos
Brian Howe (1 yes, 3 nos) – There was a don’t-judge-a-book-by-its-cover moment when Brian emerged, every bit the burly security guard – then sang ‘My Boy Lollipop’ in a high-pitched voice. Amanda quickly hit her buzzer; the other stunned judges took a moment to catch up. “I thought it was rubbish,” she asserted. “I’d say you’re a fantastic security guy,” guessed Simon. “If you keep singing like that, no-one’s gonna get near you!” The Scot left with three nos, though Simon claimed he’d have said yes.
Malcolm Cuthbertson (4 nos) – Malcolm confused the theatre when he performed a flamenco dance without a backing track. The lack of music made the buzzers sound even louder, and the languages teacher swiftly left the stage without hanging around to hear the judges’ feedback. “Come back, you’ve got four yesses!” David joked.
Ben Pridmore – Three-time World Memory Champion Ben struggled to hold the crowd’s interest as he watched playing cards flash by on the giant screen. He did get a round of applause after recalling them in the correct order, but the judges weren’t sure if it was a viable act. “It’s not entertaining,” Alesha said bluntly. “It was very clever, but so boring,” added Simon. “I would hire you as an accountant though.”
Ross McGrane – Southend glass worker Ross dreams of being a comedian, but his gags didn’t provoke reaction. He took the mickey out of The Only Way Is Essex, saying the cast’s tans “make you think your telly’s contrast is broke”. However, flat punchlines prompted Simon and Amanda to buzz. “I wasn’t belly laughing, I was willing you to be better,” sighed Alesha. Resident comic David saw potential, offering Ross advice: “Work hard for a year, do the clubs, do the pubs and come back and see us.”
The Golden Buzzer
Donchez Dacres (David’s Golden Buzzer) – Donchez aims to “cheer you up” with his passion for music. As an AA man, he fixes cars for a living – but even during his day job he’ll sing for customers if they’re in a bad mood. “By the end of your experience, you don’t think you’ve even broken down,” he chuckled.
Donchez performed his original song, ‘Wiggle Wine’, and soon had the crowd up and dancing. Ant and Dec went to join him, as did Amanda, Alesha and David, whom he then led back to the judges’ desk. Even the BGT crew backstage couldn’t resist wiggling along. The mood was so infectious that David hit the Golden Buzzer immediately.
“I’ve wiggled my body, I’ve wined my body, but I’ve never done the two things at once. You are like a ray of golden sunshine,” grinned the Little Britain star. Donchez was so popular that members of the audience stopped him for selfies.
Which act is your pick of the week? Vote in our latest BGT poll right here…
Britain’s Got Talent 2018 continues next Saturday at 8.00pm on ITV with more auditions.
Stephen Mulhern hosts spin-off Britain’s Got More Talent on ITV2 immediately after the main show.
The Britain’s Got Talent live shows are due to begin later this month.
