Following a week of nail-biting live semi-finals — which have given us sensational singers, dynamic dancers, mesmerizing magicians and lots more — the stage is set as the 10 most popular acts go head-to-head in the grand final of ITV’s entertainment juggernaut, Britain’s Got Talent.
Once each act has performed, viewers at home will get the chance to vote for their favorite — judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, David Walliams and Alesha Dixon have no influence in the final, only the viewers can decide which act they want to see bag the coveted slot at the Royal Variety Performance and the £250,000 cash prize.
Here Alesha and Amanda reveal why Britain's Got Talent 2022 will be one to remember…
Ten glorious years
"This series was myself, Simon, David and Amanda’s 10th year together as a panel," says Alesha. "I’ve always found it fascinating because the four of us are VERY different personality-wise, yet, when we come together, we’ve got this love for entertainment, this show, our kids and our dogs and all those things unite us. We have respect for one another in our individual fields, we laugh a lot and, collectively, it just works. You can see the chemistry we have on screen. We see each other outside of the show and, over the years, we’ve built a genuine friendship."
Return of live audiences
"I have to say, I was relieved we had our audience back at the auditions as it wasn’t the same without them," says Amanda. "It made us realise just how important that live audience is. The energy they bring to the show makes them very influential to the performer on stage."
Something for all the family
"It’s always a challenge for everyone involved in making this show to maintain a high standard and make sure every episode is as entertaining as the one before it and, this year, I think every show has been a winner," says Alesha. "I sit at home with my family and I watch BGT as if I wasn't ever there! I laugh out loud, get emotional and go on the journey all over again. I love being able to watch with my children, my mum and my nan - entertainment shows that bring the whole family together are very rare."
Going for gold
"I hadn’t a clue what I wanted for my Golden Buzzer this year," admits Amanda. "None of us plan it, and that's why they're so authentic because they are heartfelt and you have to have that feeling. I couldn't wait for singer Loren Allred to get to the end of her audition because I knew I needed to get that buzzer pressed before anyone else did it. There were a lot of acts this year where I think each one of us would've said: 'I would've pressed it for that.' I think all of us had strong Golden Buzzer acts this year."
The Phantom Menace
"One standout moment for me was the phantom man, who got me up on stage,' recalls Amanda. "I’ll be honest, I can't really remember what happened. One minute I was on stage and then the next minute I was asleep, and Alesha was like: “Well, you just did this.” And I was like: “No, I didn’t.” I was tasked with guessing what the other judges had picked from a box. He obviously had control over my mind because I guessed exactly whatever Alesha picked, even though I didn’t see it. I don't know how it happened or how it worked."
Mesmerising magician
"I loved Ant and Dec’s Golden Buzzer act, Keiichi Iwasaki, the magician from Japan," says Alesha. "His magic was genius and really fresh. How he made that ring spin by itself was outstanding. He did a lot of physical comedy, too. His whole act from start to finish was just the gift that kept on giving, so I was really looking forward to seeing him again in the live shows. There have been so many magic moments this series - a lot of acts have shown just a glimpse of what they can do."
Captivating choirs
"We had loads of choirs, which is something we've never had lots of before," says Amanda. "What was really special this year is that many of them had just come together that day, because they'd only ever met on Zoom before! We had people that work for the NHS, we had schools and we had The Voices of Armed Forces Children’s Choir. All these groups of people who were the unsung heroes of the pandemic, who got through it by singing and trying to stay joyful, met for the first time on our show."
Front row seats
"At the final, us judges feel like we have the best seats in the house," enthuses Alesha. "We get to just sit back and enjoy the show. We are rooting for these acts; we’re there to support them and we want them to do well. There might be a couple of acts in there that we agree to disagree on but it's very rare for one of us to hit the red buzzer for an act in the final. It's more about celebrating entertainment, and the best of the best."
Who will win?
"What does it take to win Britain’s Got Talent? It takes heart, soul, vulnerability, hard work and, of course, talent but it’s also about putting yourself on the line and making that human connection," says Alesha.
"You can’t always put your finger on it but there will be something about someone, their journey and their story that touches people’s hearts and makes the public want to root for them. When I think back to Diversity winning in 2009 or Ashley and Pudsey winning in 2012 or Attraction winning in 2013, all of those moments are really special, unique and deserving. I think 99% of the time the public gets it right but I can never call the result - once it comes to the final it’s anyone's for the taking!"
Catch the final of Britain's Got Talent on Sunday June 5 at 7.30pm on ITV.
