BGT fans call for huge change for judges next year amid controversy ahead of final
The ITV programme has seen a schedule shake-up this year with semi-final shows airing on Saturday nights as opposed to stripped across one week.
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But that isn't the only format change to rock the talent contest.
This year, during the live semi-finals, each judge has been given a golden buzzer which they are allowed to press once.
Any act that receives the buzzer advances straight through to the final and does not face the public vote.
In previous years, the act with the most viewer votes advances to the final with the acts in second and third place then standing before the judges as they each pick one of the two to send through to the final.
However, the introduction of the live golden buzzer has not gone down well with fans - particularly after comedian Joseph Charm bagged the honour this week, with many fans suggesting he could be unworthy of it.
Now, they are calling for the feature to be axed for next year in a stark move.
Taking to X - formerly Twitter - to rant about the show, one unimpressed telly watcher said: "Next year @BGT need to scrap the semi final buzzer for judges. Such poor choices.
"Alesha pressing for a comedian who wasn't funny was the icing on the cake!"
Another added following Joseph's performance: "THIS GUY IS JUST NOT FUNNY... Judges need to stop lying to acts and Biulding up false Hope, Golden buzzer??? Are u serious."
A third shared online: "This year the #BGT final is gonna be boring.
Davina McCall makes emotional surprise appearance on Britain's Got Talent as Amanda Holden fights back tears
"The public keep putting through boring acts. In the semi finals, every time a judge has used a golden buzzer, it's been wrong."
Fans were left raging after feeling as though many other worthy acts had missed out on a place in the semi-final.
Joseph Charm impressed singer Alesha with his comedy routine, and she was seen laughing along with his jokes.
Addressing Joseph after he had performed his act, Alesha 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.'
It sparked claims of a fix with one ranting online: "Fix! No way was that a golden buzzer."
As another stated: "The fact that Joseph was also on Deal or No Deal recently makes this Golden Buzzer even more of a fix."
Britain's Got Talent's biggest 'fix' rows
Britain's Got Talent has been plagued with 'fix' rows over the years. How many of these do you remember?
Jasmine Elcock - 2016: Teenage singer Jasmine Elcock stunned the nation with her version of Cher's Believe. But it then transpired she had already performed professionally in London's West End. Jasmine, 14, admitted: "I've performed in Annie in the West End at about the age of nine or 10, but I really get nervous."
IrShad Shaikh - 2017: BGT fans were left questioning the rule book when IrShad Shaikh auditioned. He got four red buzzers from the judges, which would usually mean an instant dismissal. Yet in a strange turn of events, they let him continue with his act...and put him through to the next round.
Colin Thackery - 2019: Elderly war veteran Colin won BGT in 2019, but there was an outcry over the final. He warbled his place to win with a version of We'll Meet Again but fans were furious that escapologist Jonathan Goodwin didn't even rank in the top three. Viewers felt Jonathan - who almost suffocated while being buried alive in a gravel pit - should have won.
Axel Blake - 2022: Comedian Axel Blake was given a Golden Buzzer in 2022 after making the judges laugh. But fans were fuming when they discovered Axel already had a show on worldwide streaming platform Amazon Prime. Despite this, Axel still went on to win the series.
Taryn Charles - 2024: Singer Taryn Charles is one of this year's hopefuls lucky enough to receive the Golden Buzzer. Bruno Tonilio put her straight through to the semi-finals following her performance of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin, but it has now come to light that she is no stranger to TV. Viewers recognised Taryn from an episode of ITV1's Starstruck, where she impersonated Whitney Houston for judges Olly Murs, Sheridan Smith, Adam Lambert and Beverley Knight.
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