Britain's Got Talent semi-finals gets a shake-up with big rule change
Britain's Got Talent will send performers straight to the grand finale during the live semi-final shows with a golden buzzer.
The ITV talent show will extend the concept during its five live semi-final rounds, so the judges and hosts can save acts from possible elimination.
The golden buzzer had been used during the pre-recorded auditions phase of the talent show, allowing anyone from the panel and the presenters to press it and send acts to the semi-finals.
The rule change will now mean that the buzzer can be used during the semi-finals, however, one of the four judges or its hosts will be appointed controller of the buzzer, giving them one chance to save the act from elimination and send them to the final.
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The public will then vote for their winning act of the night, who will gain a place in the live final, along with the act that secured the golden buzzer.
Britain's Got Talent is hosted by TV presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, known as Ant and Dec, and sees performers take the stage in front of a live audience and a panel of four judges including Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli.
The semi-finals will consist of eight acts performing in front of a live audience for the chance to win a £250,000 cash prize and a spot on the bill of the Royal Variety Performance.
The series has already seen 21-year-old singer Linda Mudzenda receive the Golden Buzzer during her audition from Dixon.
Other contestants that were sent through and will appear in the semi-finals include, Scissor swallower Bao Cuong who lifted a microwave while a large pair of scissors was in his mouth, one-armed drummer Cornel Hrisca-Munn, child dance troupe Lil Ms and singer Andy Hindson, who performed a comedy song about his children.
Previous winners from the show includes singer Sydnie Christmas, who sang Somewhere Over The Rainbow in the final and won the 2024 series.
The show has run since 2007 and has produced winners including tenor Paul Potts and dance troupe Diversity.
The semi-finals will air every Saturday night with the first of the series taking palace at the Eventim Apollo in London on April 26 at 7pm and airing on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.
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