Britain's Got Talent comedian Joseph Charm given golden buzzer by his mother

RTÉ News​

19-05-2025

Comedian Joseph Charm was sent straight through to the final of Britain's Got Talent by his own mother after judge Alesha Dixon allowed her to press her golden buzzer.
After finishing his routine on the ITV talent show, the comedian spotted his mother in the audience, and judge Simon Cowell called her on stage to sit in his chair, before Dixon took her hand and made her press the buzzer with her.
Speaking after Charm was sent through, Dixon said: "I loved you when I first met you, and I was praying tonight that you would deliver.
"Your energy, enthusiasm, passion and talent was shining in all its glory.
"Thank you for not letting us down and for making everybody feel good, that was a beautiful moment. We can't wait to see you in the final, let's go baby."
Charm wore his children's bracelets while performing and showed them to the camera while being interviewed by presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.
After being sent through, the comedian said: "Guys, I need to tell you this before I go, it's been exactly a year today since I left my job to pursue this dream, so here I am.
"Thank you god, thank you everyone."
Dixon was placed in charge of the buzzer on Sunday's show, which is being used at the semi-final stage for the first time in the show's history, with each judge being given the opportunity to send an act directly to the final.
The Hear Our Voice choir were also sent through to the final after winning the public vote following a performance of Birdy's People Help The People.
Never before in the history of #BGT Golden Buzzers!🥹
Congratulations to Joseph Charm on an outstanding performance and one truly emotional Golden Buzzer moment 🌟 pic.twitter.com/eitLwefC2S
— BGT (@BGT) May 18, 2025
The group are made up of people impacted by the Horizon scandal, which saw hundreds of subpostmasters wrongly convicted of theft, fraud and false accounting.
Speaking after being sent through, a member of the group said: "Thank you judges, thank you to the families, and thank you to the public."
Following their performance, Cowell remarked: "The fact is, this is still an ongoing story, and I really hope that this performance reminds people that there are still thousands of people out there who need justice.
"And actually, seriously, they should watch the drama (Mr Bates Vs The Post Office), which I did again, because this story is horrendous.
"I have so much admiration for all of you, every one of you, for coming out here and turning something genuinely miserable into something, I suppose, positive, and is keeping your story alive, which is really, really important."
The judges were also impressed by magician TK Magic, who did not make it to the final, despite a performance which saw him ask judge Amanda Holden to pick a number, which corresponded to one of her phone contacts.
Holden picked TV presenter Davina McCall's number, which eventually led to her being phoned live on the show. McCall picked up and was asked to pick a card, with the audience then holding up placards in their seats, which displayed a picture of the former Big Brother presenter with her card.
Before hanging up the phone, McCall thanked Holden for visiting her after an operation to remove a brain tumour, saying: "I just very quickly want to say thank you to Amanda Holden, who, after my operation, made the (trip) all the way down the country to see me and I really, really appreciate you."
Elsewhere, Papi played Robbie Williams' Let Me Entertain You on a collection of squeaky toy animals including pigs, cows and chickens, with three judges pressing their red buzzer and agreeing they were out of tune.
The winner of Britain's Got Talent will win £250,000 and a spot on the Royal Variety Performance.
Britain's Got Talent returns on ITV1 and Virgin Media One next Saturday at 7pm.