BRITAIN’S Got Talent fans have slammed the judges over a ‘golden buzzer snub’ from last night’s episode.
ITV viewers were left less than impressed when a Japanese impressionist received the coveted fast track to final over a blind operatic duo who appeared in the same episode.
Judge Amanda Holden, 53, slammed her fist on the huge button after being left “howling” at the act.
But viewers at home were furious with her choice and branded the act “terrible” and “not funny”.
Some even asked whether Amanda was ‘feeling alright’ and accused her of having a ‘midlife crisis’ following her decision to put the 38-year-old called Nabe through.
Nabe had arrived on stage speaking very little English and told the judges – Amanda, Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli – that he was an impressionist.
He then proceeded to use shaving foam to style his balding hair into various styles, including that of Disney’s Maleficent and cartoon character Snoopy.
With his black barnet parted, he squirted foam in a pile on top of his head before comparing himself to Shaun The Sheep.
Amanda was already up on her feet and screaming with laughter before Nabe did his final impression.
Using a white shirt and a cutout of Simon’s face, he transformed himself into the judge by pretending his hair was Si’s hairy chest.
Amanda went wild for Nabe and awarded him with a Golden Buzzer.
This means he has put him straight through to the semi-finals and he stands a chance of winning £250,000, along with a slot at the Royal Variety Performance.
Fans at home were in strong disagreement, though.
Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, one fumed: “Absolutely disgusting that this brilliant act didn’t get a golden buzzer but that ‘impressionist’ did. I thought that brilliant, real talent. Hope they win.”
Another added: “Judges hysterical, audience hysterical and the fella is just not funny. And then still having her midlife crisis Holden gives him the golden buzzer. Terrible.”
A third wrote: “Golden buzzer-ing this ‘impressionist’ has GOT to be a joke!”
And a fourth chimed in: “Giving the golden buzzer to an act like that just shows how terrible this programme is.”
Someone else even asked: “SHE ALRIGHT?!”
After she pressed her Golden Buzzer, Simon hugged Amanda and told her Nabe was “a good one”.
Amanda, meanwhile, went on to explain her reasoning behind her choice.
She told Nabe and the audience: “Normally when I press my Golden Buzzer I am in floods of tears and can’t speak.
“This made me howl. I laughed my head off and have never seen anything like it.”
She praised the contestant, saying: “You were so funny!”
Despite being the butt of one of Nabe’s impressions, Simon also gave Nabe a thumbs up for his audition.
He told him: “This is genius, absolutely genius. The only person we’ve ever had do impressions with their hair.”
Unlike previous series’ of Britain’s Got Talent, the judges have revealed there will be nine Golden Buzzers awarded this year.
Usually, they only get one each but Alesha joked at a press conference that the rules had not been followed since Bruno joined the panel.
During the installment, Bruno broke down in tears over a blind operatic duo and their remarkable life story.
The ballroom choreographer, 68, became overcome with emotion during a spell-binding audition from soprano Denise Leigh and pianist Stefan Andrusyschyn.
They told how they met on a train 18 years ago when Stefan asked Denise for the time, not realising she was blind too.
BGT's Best Golden Buzzer Moments
BGT have handed out many Golden Buzzer's over the years, can you remember some of the most famous
- Loren Allred – Loren Allred, 32, from Brooklyn, New York jetted to London to audition after recording the vocals for The Greatest Showman. The stunning singer got a standing ovation and a Golden Buzzer from the judges as she delivered a stirring rendition of Never Enough from the popular film. Loren came out on stage and revealed to the judges they would have heard her voice many times before that moment. “I was hired to record the vocals for The Greatest Showman as a guide for the actors to know how to sing the songs,” she explained. Loren then revealed actress Rebecca Ferguson was so stunned by her singing that she decided to let her vocals be heard in the movie. “So she lip-synced,” Loren said.
- Chicken Shed Theatre Company– Comprised of individuals aged between 5 and 37, the group was set up to welcome anyone irrespective of background to get up on stage and perform and fulfil their dream. Chicken Shed prides itself on accepting anyone and does not hold auditions to make the group a safe and inclusive space. The group wowed as they performed Wonder by Naughty Boy featuring Emeli Sande. It meant that Alesha wasted no time as she decided to hit her golden buzzer for the young performers. She told them it was her “honour” to reward their inclusiveness with her golden buzzer.
- The Dancing Granny– Granny Paddy Jones and her professional partner Niko Espinosa first hit headlines when they won the Spanish talent show Tú sí que vales in 2009, before going on to appear on Britain’s Got Talent in 2014 where they came ninth. Amanda Holden was so impressed with Paddy that she gave her the Golden Buzzer, which sent them straight through to the semi-finals. But things took a worrying turn when Paddy cracked a rib while rehearsing a new move and her place on the show was under doubt. She was given the all-clear to perform in the end but didn’t quite live up to expectations.
- Bars and Melody – They will forever be remembered for their anti-bullying song on the talent show. Bars and Melody were first seen on the 2014 series of Britain’s Got Talent, getting shuttled into the semi-finals when Simon Cowell pressed his Golden Buzzer. They made it to the final thanks to a performance of I’ll Be Missing You but lost out on the crown to Collabro. These days Charlie Lenehan – known as Melody – is covered in tattoos, with inkings on his neck, arms and chest. But he is as close as ever to co-star Leondre Devries – who is Bars – with the pair seen enjoying themselves in exotic locations all over the world.
Denise, 52, who has a tiny amount of vision in her left eye, said: “I just thought, ‘Stop hitting on me!’
When they got off she saw his cane and thought: “Oh my God he is blind too.”
Incredibly they were then booked on the same gig.
Denise recalled: “I thought I won’t tell him I’m the woman on the train because I was a bit rude to him.”
Denise also revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 and got the all-clear just before their audition.
But the treatment changed her voice. She said: “I’m having to rebuild it.”
The pair, from Stoke-on-Trent, got a standing ovation on the ITV show with an emotive performance of Climb Every Mountain from The Sound of Music.
Wiping away tears, Bruno said: “I’m inspired by you, I’ve learnt something today about your positive state of mind. You are an example.”
Also there was their son Demetri, 11, guide dog Tilly, plus two of Denise’s kids from a previous relationship, Michael, 28, and Sam, 26.
Denise said she was “absolutely shaking by the time we’d finished”, and did not realise Bruno was sobbing until he spoke.
She added: “I’m really pleased I made a grown man cry!”
However, it wasn’t enough to receive the Golden Buzzer.
