Latest news with #BGTJudges
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Lewisham-born comedian and BGT finalist who got Alesha's golden buzzer
A Lewisham-born comedian has made it to the final of Britain's Got Talent after leaving the judges and the audience in stitches with his performance last weekend. Joseph Charm returned to the BGT stage on Sunday (May 18) in front of judges Bruno Tonioli, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, and Simon Cowell for the live semi-finals. The 32-year-old won the hearts of the audience and judges at his audition with his relatable rant about being a parent. Joseph returned to the stage after running past the audience and greeting the theatre. He told the audience: 'This is one of the biggest nights of my life. 'We are going to break records tonight.' He went on to say he'd waited a 'LONGGG time for this moment', which became a recurring joke for the rest of the performance. In his audition, he explained how he quit his job to pursue his dream as a comedian. He joked: 'In a short space of time, I've grown a huge following, and an even bigger overdraft. 'I didn't sign up for that. 'But then, everybody, I did the greatest thing anyone could do as a Brit: I did Britain's Got Talent.' He admitted that being on Britain's Got Talent has made him more famous and recognisable, though people assume he's Idris Elba. He added: 'The only thing worse than being famous is being famous and broke. 'I'm trying to be like these guys [the judges] and be rich and famous. 'But it has been incredible. 'I've had cousins from overseas trying to claim me.' He said cousins from Sierra Leone have gotten in contact with him, telling him that they hadn't spoken to him for 'a LONGGG time', and that they've asked him for money now that he's 'rich and famous'. He joked that the correct term was that he was 'broke and famous' and if they were waiting for him to send them money, they would be waiting 'a LONGGG time'. Joseph went on to talk about the struggles of being unemployed during the cost-of-living crisis and humorously pointed out that weekly shopping now costs £200 after three items. He didn't know where the family holiday would be this year and said that he told his kids that if he won Britain's Got Talent, they'd be going to Jamaica, but if he lost, they'd be going to Jamaica Road in Bermondsey. Before wrapping up his performance, he shared an anecdote about after his audition, where he called his mother to inform her that he'd gotten through to the semi-finals. His mum's first question was apparently about if he had met and spoken to Simon Cowell, and if the iconic judge had asked about her. But he supposedly responded with a running gag from the performance: if his mum was waiting for a call from Simon Cowell, she'd be waiting 'a LONGGG time'. The judges and the audience were on their feet in applause as Simon Cowell welcomed Joseph's mum on the judging panel and embraced her. Alesha Dixon, the judge with the power to send a contestant straight to the final with the Golden Buzzer, took Mrs Charm's hand and pressed it down on the buzzer with her own. Joseph broke into tears of joy as he fell to his knees. As his performance time came to an end, he told the audience, judges, and viewers at home: 'It has been exactly a year today since I left my job to pursue this dream, so here I am. 'Thank you, God. Thank you, everyone.' Joseph will return to ITV screens on May 31 for the BGT Live Final.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Amanda Holden says Blackpool is the ‘future' of Britain's Got Talent auditions
Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden has said she thinks Blackpool 'is the future' of the show's auditions. The popular ITV talent show will return for its 18th series on Saturday with Holden, 54, at the judges' table alongside Simon Cowell, singer Alesha Dixon, former Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli and guest judge and social media star KSI. Speaking about the auditions in the Lancashire town, Holden said: 'They were super warm and brilliantly up for it, and very loud, and we felt like, really the show felt sort of appreciated, I think, and wanted up there. 'And I think that's our core audience. That's the heartland of a talent show and of ITV, and you just go, 'God, this is just brilliant.' 'And I honestly think we won't go back to London after that. 'I think we'll be in Blackpool the whole time. 'I feel bad for Blackpool because it's faded glory, isn't it? Up there. 'But in its day, when I was married to Les (Dennis), he'd be doing shows at the end of the pier or whatever… or the people that I've met, I have been around for a long time in this industry, all honed their acts in the working men's clubs in the north with really hard audiences to please. Britain's Got Talent is back – bigger and better than EVER! Expect the unexpected when #BGT returns on Saturday 22nd February at 7pm on @ITV 1, @ITVX and @WeAreSTV. — BGT (@BGT) February 12, 2025 'And if you can make it there you can literally make it anywhere. 'Forget New York, if you can do it in the north you've cracked it because when they like you, they really like you, and it felt like an honour to be in a town where they've broken so many amazing, wonderful acts over the years.' 'I'm just going to predict it. That's it for London,' she added. 'Blackpool, I think, is the future for our auditions, and we all loved it.' Many of the audition dates for series 18 took place at Blackpool's Winter Gardens with members of the public also auditioning in London and Manchester. Holden also said she was 'proud' of the show being inclusive. 'Britain's Got Talent is about second chances as well as supporting the underdog', she added. 'It's accessible. It's not out of anyone's reach. My favourite auditions are the hairbrush auditions when you know that really they've only ever done it in their bedroom and no one's seen it. 'To have this kind of platform is incredible, especially now as well for comedians who have lost the working men's clubs and they've lost a lot of the traditional routes to be discovered. 'There's nothing better than performing live in front of a huge audience, going out on TV but also going viral online. 'It's still the greatest platform for undiscovered talent and dreams can become a reality overnight.' First Look Audition: KSI is wowed by 8-year-old magician! Teddy Magic whips the #BGT Judges into shape when he gets @SimonCowell and @KSI to take part in his spellbinding act with hilarious results: — BGT (@BGT) February 21, 2025 Last year's series was won by singer Sydnie Christmas, who sung Somewhere Over The Rainbow in the final. The show has run since 2007 and has produced winners including tenor Paul Potts and dance troupe Diversity. The series champion receives £250,000 in prize money and the opportunity to perform at the Royal Variety Performance. A format change this year will see the live semi-finals air weekly, rather than nightly across one week as they had done previously. TV duo Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly return to host the show. Britain's Got Talent will return on Saturday at 7pm on ITV1, ITVX and STV.
