As the Britain's Got Talent live semi-finals begin this week, we shine the spotlight on this year's five Golden Buzzer acts…
We've seen all the auditions and, next week, the top 40 acts will be perform again, as Britain's Got Talent goes LIVE!
All the hopefuls have already impressed judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, David Walliams and Alesha Dixon. But, over five nights next week, following the final audition show on Saturday, they’ll be battling it out for YOUR votes!
Taking centre stage, once again, are the five Golden Buzzer acts, chosen by the judges and hosts Ant and Dec. David Walliams was so moved by Flakefleet Primary School choir’s joyful song and dance routine to Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now, he sealed their fate with the Golden Buzzer.
Here, headteacher-turned-choirmaster David McPartlin (no relation to Ant!) teases their next Britain's Got Talent routine, and their four rivals also reveal what’s to come…
So, David, how does it feel to be through to the live shows of Britain's Got Talent?
"It's just unbelievable! We didn’t talk about going through never mind getting a Golden Buzzer. When the crowd were chanting: ‘Press the Gold’ we didn’t think for one minute that anyone would! What’s really special about David pressing the Golden Buzzer is that, for many of our kids, he really is their hero. They’ve all got his books, they all know who he is. So to get it from him just made it that little bit sweeter."
You got a great response on social media, after your audition, too…
"I know! I saw at one point that Mr Poppy [the enthusiastic teacher from the Nativity films, played by Marc Wootton] was trending on Twitter, which is a real compliment. I think people felt it was just nice watching kids be kids. That innocence, joy and happiness of being young seemed to resonate with people. As a teacher I say let’s not worry so much about SATs; we want to spread the word that school should be fun."
What teasers can you give us for your semi-final performance?
"All I’ll say is we’ll be true to ourselves. It will be us, doing what we do and not taking ourselves too seriously. The kids came up with the idea and it’s a nod to a certain somebody who’s part of Britain’s Got Talent. Will I be in costume? Well, I don’t think I’m going to disappoint. I’m just hoping I’m still in a job after!"
What would it mean to you to win Britain’s Got Talent and perform for royalty?
"As a normal, working-class school from a small town up north, I feel like we’re the underdogs and that, in many ways, we shouldn’t even be in the semi-finals. We’re going into the semis with absolutely no expectations. Most of our kids have never been to London, so we just want to enjoy making more memories. Our whole ethos is ‘dare to dream’. Our choir isn’t about being a perfect singer or dancer but we’ve shown what can happen when you give something a go and not worry about failing. Winning BGT would be a dream come true."
FLAKEFLEET'S GOLDEN BUZZER RIVALS...
Akshat Singh The 13-year-old dancer from Mumbai, India, had hosts Ant and Dec going for gold
Akshat says his audition has allowed him to connect with millions of people around the world. "It’s such a great feeling to receive so much love, especially from Britain. I feel as if I am spreading love and happiness, which is exactly what I set out to achieve. I feel very lucky to have so many people believe in me," he says. "My semi-final performance will be full of positivity, happiness, love and energy. It will be a real party on the dance floor. I am waiting to rock, and I can’t wait to have a Nando’s!"
Chapter 13 Teen rockers Noah, Jake, Tom and Jacob struck a chord with Amanda who hit the Golden Buzzer
After wowing the judges and the crowd at the auditions, rock band Chapter 13 want to bring rock back to the charts. "I think Amanda pressed the Golden Buzzer because she saw a new, fresh group that is going to bring back the joy and excitement of British boy bands,’says Tom. But how do they plan to up their game with their semi-final performance? "We’re nervous, excited and ready to show the nation who we are and hopefully that we can succeed as a band," says Jake, with Noah adding. "It’s more than a performance. It’s a connection that we aim to make with our generation!"
Giorgia Borg The 10-year-old singer from Malta impressed Alesha with her powerhouse vocals
Giorgia has enjoyed a great response after singing her original song, 10, at the auditions. "Alesha said she loved everything about my performance and the response from the public has been amazing. I’m getting a lot of positive comments about my voice and the song, which is great to hear," she says. "I’m feeling nervous but excited to show everyone what I can bring to the live shows. What can people expect? A powerful performance!"
Kojo Anim The stand-up comedian, 38, from London tickled Simon’s funny-bone with his witty routine
It’s something of a challenge to make Simon Cowell laugh but Kojo managed it with ease. "I think Simon just liked my type of comedy, which was more storytelling than just telling gags. We also spoke about how fatherhood changes people and he recognised how much it meant to me to be doing this for my son," says Kojo, who hopes he can stand out again at the live shows. "As it gets closer I’m a bit nervous, especially now I’ve seen how amazing the other acts are. But I’m excited as these are the platforms I’m hoping to be performing more on in the future."
The Britain's Got Talent live semi-finals start on Bank Holiday Monday, May 27 at 7.30pm on ITV.
