Pint-sized rock band Chapter 13 secured the final Golden Buzzer of the 13th series of Britain’s Got Talent on Saturday, with the teenage foursome heading straight through to the show’s live semi-finals.
- Britain’s Got Talent 2019 semi-finalists: who’s through to the live shows?
- When is the Britain’s Got Talent 2019 final?
- Who are the Golden Buzzer acts in Britain’s Got Talent 2019?
Chosen by Amanda Holden, who called them “absolutely spot on”, they’re now among the hot favourites to win the competition.
But while the confetti rained down in the London Palladium, vitriol poured in from viewers on Twitter, who felt it was unfair that Chapter 13 had received a free pass to the semis when they already had stage experience from working on the popular School of Rock musical.
#BGT My only issue with #Chapter13, is that they’re professionals having performed in @SchoolOfRockUK and they know how to work a crowd and would’ve been given the best training. Again an unfair disadvantage. @AmandaHolden @bgt @itv Lx
— 𝙇𝙞𝙖𝙢 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙣 (@MrLiamCronin) May 11, 2019
1st buzzer = cute kids,we'll let that one slide
2nd= Aleeshas mate
3rd = kid whose already famous (invited over?)
4th = kid whose already famous (invited over?)
5th = kids who've been in West end@bgt its official, the only talent we now have are already pros. #BritainsGotTalent— Amy Keen (@amymkeen) May 11, 2019
But…. they are professional musicians. It’s supposed to be an amateur talent show. It’s a fraud
— Curehead (@TheCureheads) May 12, 2019
Chapter 13 aren’t the only performers with a so-called ‘showbiz past’; every audition show of this series has been littered with professional or semi-professional acts, from comedians (Kojo Anim supported Kevin Hart on tour) to acrobats (the sword-balancing Vardanyan Brothers have performed their nail-biting stunts globally and won Russia’s version of BGT) to magicians (magical dance troupe Angels Inc appeared on-screens across Europe after winning a Dutch circus-based programme, while their founder Sittah Koene starred on US series The Masters of Illusions).
Even the adorable kids from Flakefleet Primary School haven’t avoided a tarring brush with fame – they previously tried to score a Christmas number one and appeared on ITV News to give their take on last year’s Royal Wedding.
Each year, an increasingly vocal crowd will boohoo about it not being fair that previously established acts are allowed on Britain’s Got Talent – but I think they’re missing the point of the show.
TV has (for the most part) moved on from the ritual humiliation of its participants; instead of roaring with laughter at some poor sod who can’t sing a note, Britain’s Got Talent is now filled with acts that are talked about because they showcase some awe-inspiring skills. Take magician Ben Hart, for instance, or circus act Duo A&J, who performed with Cirque du Soleil.
Amid the furore of who’s previously done what when, people have lost sight of the show’s core purpose – to be top-class Saturday night entertainment.
And if that means 90 minutes of honed and polished professional acts rather than a string of mediocre unknowns, I’ll take the real talent every time.
Britain’s Got Talent continues Saturdays at 8pm on ITV
from Radio Times http://bit.ly/30tP7Le
