Britain's Got Talent (series 6)
Britain's Got Talent | |
---|---|
Series 6 | |
Broadcast from | 24 March – 12 May 2012 |
Judges |
Simon Cowell Amanda Holden Alesha Dixon David Walliams Carmen Electra (London auditions) |
Presenter(s) | Ant & Dec (ITV) |
Co-presenter(s) | Stephen Mulhern (ITV2) |
Broadcaster |
ITV ITV2 (Britain's Got More Talent) |
Winner | |
Ashleigh and Pudsey | |
![]() | |
Origin | Wellingborough, England |
Genre(s) | Dog trick act |
Runner-up | |
Jonathan and Charlotte |
The sixth series of Britain's Got Talent began airing on ITV on 24 March 2012 and ended on 12 May 2012. Ant & Dec returned to present the main show on ITV, while Stephen Mulhern returned to present spin-off show Britain's Got More Talent on ITV2. Simon Cowell and Amanda Holden returned as judges. Alesha Dixon and David Walliams joined the judging panel, replacing Michael McIntyre and David Hasselhoff. Carmen Electra served as a guest judge for the London auditions in Holden's absence. The series was won by dancing dog act Ashleigh and Pudsey, with opera duo Jonathan and Charlotte coming second. Welsh choir Only Boys Aloud came third. This was the first series since series 4 where Cowell was present at the auditions after only being present at the live shows in series 5.
From this series onwards, the winner's cash prize was increased from £100,000 to £500,000,[1] and the number of judges was increased from three to four.[2] The series was supposed to premiere on 14 April, as mid-April is when each series usually begins, but it was brought forward three weeks to premiere on 24 March – the same night as the launch of The Voice UK on BBC One. Many media outlets saw this move as a deliberate attempt by ITV to create a "TV ratings war" with the BBC.[3]
Judges
On 20 September 2011, it was announced that Michael McIntyre would not return as a judge for series 6,[4] and David Hasselhoff also confirmed his departure from the show on 29 November.[5] Despite rumours of Amanda Holden being absent for the auditions stage, she confirmed via her Twitter account that she would be participating in the whole series.[6] In December 2011, it was announced Simon Cowell would return as a full-time judge for the series, having been absent for the auditions in series 5.[7] On 2 January 2012, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams were announced as the two replacement judges, with Dixon leaving her role on Strictly Come Dancing.[2]
Holden missed the Blackpool auditions as she was admitted to hospital,[8] where she later gave birth to her daughter Hollie Rose. Her condition also led to her absence in the subsequent auditions at Cardiff and London, with Carmen Electra appearing as a guest judge in the latter location.[9] Holden returned to the judging panel for the final auditions in Edinburgh and Birmingham and also judged in the semi finals and final.
BGT Backstagers Online Show
For the first time in the show's history, a brand new online backstage show was introduced (sponsored by Virgin Media) where a small mix of different presenters would interview the acts, contestants, judges, presenters and production crew. The presenters were recruited following an online application process and auditions in London.
There was a two-hour live show every day airing between 2.30-4.30pm on the website and Facebook, which ran throughout the semi-finals and grand finale shows. The audience were encouraged to submit their questions for the chance to have them asked live during the show.
The semi-final presenters were:
- Semi-final 1: Lona Marler-Campbell, Redhill
- Semi-final 2: Daniel Bickerton, Wales
- Semi-final 3: Gemma Brown, London
- Semi-final 4: Elaine Fitzpatrick, Manchester
- Semi-final 5: Lisa Hornal, Airdrie
By popular demand, Daniel Bickerton and Elaine Fitzpatrick returned to co-present the final show.
Auditions
Auditionees had three ways to audition for the show this year:
- attend a producer audition (invited auditionees only, through applying online)
- attend the "open" audition in London
- upload a video audition via YouTube or Vimeo ("extra chance" auditions for Virgin Media customers)
Video auditionees who were successful were invited to perform in front of the judges on the Britain's Got Talent stage at the Birmingham auditions.
Open audition
An "open" audition (where registration is not necessary) was held at London's The Oval on 22 January 2012, though the judges were not present at this audition. This was the first time in the show's history that an open audition took place.[10][11]
Video audition
Between 6 and 22 January, there was also the opportunity to upload an audition via YouTube.[12] 25 of the producers' favourite video auditions, from all submissions received, were shortlisted. On 6 February, the shortlisted acts were announced by Britain's Got More Talent host Mulhern via a live YouTube stream from backstage at the London auditions, and the 25 selected acts were then viewed by the YouTube community, who voted for their favourites, until 13 February. On 18 February, the results were announced from backstage at the Birmingham auditions via another live YouTube stream. The five chosen acts with the most viewer votes performed in front of the judges on the Britain's Got Talent stage. The act that received the largest number of votes were a doo-wap group called The TestostaTones. They performed live on YouTube. Their performance was ended after all four judges pressed their buzzers, but the judges' comments were not shown as Mulhern ended the broadcast.[13][14]
From 25 January, Virgin Media, the sponsors of the show, also ran "extra chance" auditions via YouTube and Vimeo. The same rules applied but the closing date was 31 January, and was only open for Virgin Media customers. Five acts, from the submissions received, were chosen to perform for the judges on 17 February at the Birmingham auditions.
Judges' auditions
The judges' auditions took place in Manchester, Blackpool, Cardiff, London, Edinburgh and Birmingham from the end of January 2012 starting in Manchester[15] and ending in Birmingham in February. This was the first time that the Scotland auditions took place in Edinburgh instead of Glasgow. Auditions returned to Blackpool for the first time since series 2 in 2008. The semi-finalists were chosen on 25 February.[16]
The first episode aired on 24 March and featured auditions from Manchester, Birmingham and London. Episode two featured more auditions from Birmingham and London, as well as the Blackpool auditions. Episode three onwards showcased auditions from acts from all six audition cities. The final audition episode on 5 May also revealed who the judges chose to advance to the live semi-finals.
Date(s) | City | Judging panel |
---|---|---|
20–21 January 2012 | Manchester | David Walliams Alesha Dixon Amanda Holden Simon Cowell |
24 January 2012 | Blackpool | David Walliams Alesha Dixon Simon Cowell |
28–29 January 2012 | Cardiff | |
6–8 February 2012 | London | David Walliams Alesha Dixon Carmen Electra Simon Cowell |
11 February 2012 | Edinburgh | David Walliams Alesha Dixon Amanda Holden Simon Cowell |
17–19 February 2012 | Birmingham | |
Semi-finals
The live shows began on 6 May 2012, the day after the final audition episode. The first semi-final was just two straight hours from 8:00pm. From 7–10 May, there were semi-finals every day from 7.30pm - 9:00pm, with the results show at 9.30pm. The final was held on 12 May. Unlike previous series, there were nine semi-finalists each night instead of the usual eight, as this year saw "the best talent for a number of years."[17]
Each results show featured a guest performance. The X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos performed on the first show while The Wanted performed on the second. The third featured LMFAO and the fourth featured Labrinth. Rebecca Ferguson performed on the fifth show.
Semi-finalists
- Winner
- Runner-up
- Third place
- Finalist
- Semi-finalist (lost judges' or public vote)
Wildcard (previously eliminated act reinstated into the final)
Name of act | Age(s) | Genre | Act | Semi | Position reached |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Sugar Dandies | 40 & 46 | Dance | Ballroom dancers | 4 | Semi-finalist |
Cascade | 22–35 | Gymnastics | Action-stunt team | 2 | Semi-finalist |
Area 51 | 23–44 | Dance | Pyrotechnic dance troupe | 3 | Semi-finalist |
Chica Latina | 44 | Singing | Entertainer/singer | 4 | Semi-finalist |
Face Team | 19–28 | Gymnastics | Basketball stunt team | 5 | Semi-finalist |
Only Boys Aloud | 14–19 | Singing | Male choir | 1 | Third place |
Jonathan and Charlotte | 17 & 16 | Singing | Opera duo | 2 | Runner up |
Loveable Rogues | 18–20 | Singing | Acoustic band | 3 | Finalist |
Be Minor | 13–14 | Singing | Girlband | 4 | Semi-finalist |
Lauren Thalia | 12 | Singing/music | Singer/guitarist | 1 | Semi-finalist |
Paige Turley | 14 | Singing | Singer | 2 | Semi-finalist (lost judges' vote) |
Molly Rainford | 11 | Singing | Singer | 3 | Finalist |
Brynolf & Ljung | 35 & 36 | Magic | Card magicians | 4 | Semi-finalist |
Hope Murphy | 16 | Singing | Singer | 5 | Semi-finalist |
Zipparah Tafari ('Mr Zip') | 49 | Music | Rapper | 1 | Semi-finalist |
Karizma Krew | 14–38 | Dance | Dance troupe | 2 | Semi-finalist |
Ashley Elliot | 16 | Music | Xylophonist | 3 | Semi-finalist |
Nu Sxool | 10–17 | Dance | Dance troupe | 4 | Finalist |
Greig Stewart | 27 | Music | Laser harpist | 5 | Semi-finalist |
Jive Aces | 34–49 | Music | Performance instrumental band | 1 | Semi-finalist |
Graham Blackledge | 42 | Singing/music | Organist/singer | 2 | Semi-finalist |
Malaki Paul | 9 | Singing | Singer | 4 | Semi-finalist (lost judges' vote) |
Strictly Wheels | 39 & 41 | Dance | Ballroom dance duo | 5 | Semi-finalist |
United We Stand | 17–25 | Dance | Dance troupe | 1 | Semi-finalist |
Kai & Natalia | 15 & 16 | Dance | Ballroom dancers | 2 | Finalist |
Dennis Egel | 41 | Singing/entertainment | Singer/entertainer | 3 | Semi-finalist |
Martyn Crofts | 42 | Comedy | Dalek impersonator | 5 | Semi-finalist |
Billy George | 20 | Gymnastics | Cyr wheel performer | 5 | Semi-finalist (lost judges' vote) |
Beatrix von Bourbon | 27 | Dance | Burlesque dancer | 4 | Semi-finalist |
Rachel Knowland | 25 | Singing | Singer | 1 | Semi-finalist |
Fish on Percussion | 24 | Music | Drummer/performer | 2 | Semi-finalist |
Honey Shazad | 21 | Singing | Singer | 3 | Semi-finalist |
Sam Kelly | 19 | Singing/music | Singer/guitarist | 4 | Finalist |
The Mend ![]() |
21–22 | Singing | Boyband | 1 | Wildcard |
Analiza Ching | 29 | Music | Violinist | 1 | Semi-finalist |
The Showbears | 34–53 | Singing | Singers/entertainers | 2 | Semi-finalist |
Twist and Pulse Dance Company | 12–20 | Dance | Dance troupe | 3 | Semi-finalist (lost public vote) |
Callum Oakley | 16 | Comedy | Comedian | 5 | Semi-finalist |
Aquabatique | 21–28 | Swimming | Synchronised swimmers | 5 | Finalist |
Ashleigh and Pudsey | 17 & 6 | Animal | Dancing dog act | 1 | Winner |
Four Corners | 18–23 | Dance | Dance troupe | 2 | Semi-finalist |
The Zimmers | 66–88 | Music | Performance rappers | 3 | Semi-finalist |
Lucky | 26 | Gymnastics | Contortionist | 3 | Semi-finalist |
Gatis Kandis | 31 | Comedy | Stand-up comedian | 4 | Semi-finalist |
Ryan O'Shaughnessy[note 1] | 19 | Singing/music | Singer-songwriter/guitarist | 5 | Finalist |
Semi-finals summary
The "Order" columns list the order of appearance each act made for every episode.
Key | ![]() |
![]() |
Won the public vote |
Won the judges' vote / split decision |
Lost the judges' vote / public vote |
---|
Semi-final 1 (6 May 2012)
Artist | Order | Act | Buzzes and judges' votes | Finished[18] | Result | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowell | Holden | Dixon | Walliams | |||||
Zipparah Tafari | 1 | Comedy rapper | 4th - 2.3% | Eliminated | ||||
The Jive Aces | 2 | Swing jazz band | 7th - 1.0% | Eliminated | ||||
Lauren Thalia | 3 | Comedy singer/guitarist | 5th - 1.8% | Eliminated | ||||
United We Stand | 4 | Street dance troupe | ![]() |
![]() |
9th - 0.6% | Eliminated | ||
Analiza Ching | 5 | Violinist | 8th - 0.9% | Eliminated | ||||
The Mend2 | 6 | Boy band | ![]() |
![]() |
3rd - 11.8% | Eliminated (Lost judges vote - split decision)1 | ||
Rachel Knowland | 7 | Singer | 6th - 1.2% | Eliminated | ||||
Ashleigh & Pudsey | 8 | Dog act | 1st - 50.0% | Advanced (Won public vote) | ||||
Only Boys Aloud | 9 | Male voice choir | ![]() |
![]() |
2nd - 30.4% | Advanced (Won judges vote - split decision)1 |
- ^1 The judges' vote was a split decision. Only Boys Aloud were announced to have received more public votes and were sent through to the final.
- ^2 The Mend were sent through to the final as a wildcard after all the semi-finals.
Semi-final 2 (7 May 2012)
- Guest performer: The Wanted - "Chasing the Sun"
Artist | Order | Act | Buzzes and judges' votes | Finished[18] | Result | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowell | Holden | Dixon | Walliams | |||||
Cascade | 1 | Martial arts stunt team | 8th - 1.6% | Eliminated | ||||
Paige Turley | 2 | Singer | ![]() |
3rd - 5.2% | Eliminated (Lost judges' vote) | |||
Karizma Krew | 3 | Dance troupe | 5th - 2.4% | Eliminated | ||||
The Showbears | 4 | Entertainers | ![]() |
7th - 1.8% | Eliminated | |||
Fish on Percussion | 5 | Percussionist | ![]() |
9th - 0.9% | Eliminated | |||
Graham Blackledge | 6 | Organist/singer | 6th - 1.9% | Eliminated | ||||
Kai and Natalia | 7 | Ballroom/latin dance couple | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
2nd - 6.2% | Advanced (Won judges' vote) | |
Four Corners | 8 | Dance troupe | 4th - 4.7% | Eliminated | ||||
Jonathan and Charlotte | 9 | Opera duo | 1st - 75.3% | Advanced (Won public vote) |
Semi-final 3 (8 May 2012)
- Guest performer: LMFAO - medley of "Party Rock Anthem" and "Sexy and I Know It"[19]
During their performance, Walliams accidentally pressed Cowell's buzzer while he was dancing.[20]
Artist | Order | Act | Buzzes and judges' votes | Finished[18] | Result | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowell | Holden | Dixon | Walliams | |||||
The Zimmers | 1 | Comedy/performance rappers | 6th - 3.3% | Eliminated | ||||
Area 51 | 2 | Pyrotechnic dance troupe | 8th - 2.2% | Eliminated | ||||
Ashley Elliot | 3 | Xylophonist | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
5th - 4.9% | Eliminated | |
Molly Rainford | 4 | Singer | ![]() |
![]() |
2nd - 22.2% | Advanced (Won judges vote - split decision)2 | ||
Lucky | 5 | Contortionist | 7th - 2.7% | Eliminated | ||||
Loveable Rogues | 6 | Acoustic group | 1st - 40.4% | Advanced (Won public vote) | ||||
Honey Shazad | 7 | Singer | 9th- 1.2% | Eliminated | ||||
Twist and Pulse Dance Company | 8 | Comedy/street dance troupe | ![]() |
![]() |
3rd - 17.6% | Eliminated (Lost judges vote- split decision)2 | ||
Dennis Egel | 9 | Singer/entertainer | 4th - 5.5% | Eliminated |
- ^2 The judges' vote was a split decision. Molly Rainford was announced to have received more public votes and was sent through to the final.
Semi-final 4 (9 May 2012)
- Guest performer: Labrinth - "Express Yourself"
Artist | Order | Act | Buzzes and judges' votes | Finished[18] | Result | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowell | Holden | Dixon | Walliams | |||||
Chica Latina | 1 | Entertainer | 9th - 0.6% | Eliminated | ||||
Brynolf and Ljung | 2 | Illusionist | 5th - 7.3% | Eliminated | ||||
Malaki Paul | 3 | Singer | ![]() |
2nd - 25.2% | Eliminated (Lost judges vote) | |||
Gatis Kandis | 4 | Comedian | 6th - 6.5% | Eliminated | ||||
The Sugar Dandies | 5 | Ballroom dance couple | ![]() |
7th- 2.8% | Eliminated | |||
Nu Sxool | 6 | Dance troupe | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
3rd - 20.0% | Advanced (Won judges vote) | |
Beatrix von Bourbon | 7 | Burlesque dancer | 8th - 1.1% | Eliminated | ||||
Sam Kelly | 8 | Singer/guitarist | 1st - 26.8% | Advanced (Won public vote) | ||||
Be Minor | 9 | Girl band | 4th - 9.7% | Eliminated |
Semi-final 5 (10 May 2012)
- Guest performer: Rebecca Ferguson - "Teach Me How to Be Loved"
Artist | Order | Act | Buzzes and judges' votes | Finished[18] | Result | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowell | Holden | Dixon | Walliams | |||||
Face Team | 1 | Basketball stunt team | 6th - 7.4% | Eliminated | ||||
Greig Stewart | 2 | Laser harpist | ![]() |
![]() |
9th - 1.6% | Eliminated | ||
Billy George | 3 | Cyr wheel acrobat | ![]() |
3rd - 11.0% | Eliminated (Lost judges vote) | |||
Martyn Crofts | 4 | Dalek voice impressionist | ![]() |
8th - 3.0% | Eliminated | |||
Callum Oakley | 5 | Comedian | 4th - 9.0% | Eliminated | ||||
Hope Murphy | 6 | Singer | 5th - 7.6% | Eliminated | ||||
Strictly Wheels | 7 | Wheelchair ballroom dance couple | 7th - 3.5% | Eliminated | ||||
Aquabatique | 8 | Synchronised swimmers | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
2nd - 14.6% | Advanced (Won judges vote) | |
Ryan O'Shaughnessy | 9 | Singer-songwriter/guitarist | 1st - 42.3% | Advanced (Won public vote) |
- ^3 During semi-final 1, Ant & Dec announced that the judges had a wildcard and would be able to send a previously-eliminated act through to Saturday's final. It was planned that the chosen act would be announced at the end of semi-final 5. However the wildcard was not announced, as the judges had yet to decide.
- Aquabatique performed outside the studio, with the judges watching from inside.
Final (12 May 2012)
- Guest performers:
- Susan Boyle – "You'll See"
- Diversity & Paul Gbegbaje
- The Show Bears featuring David Walliams - "It's Raining Men". (During the performance, Simon, Amanda and Alesha jokingly pressed their buzzer, Simon actually pressed Amanda's buzzer)
- At the beginning of the first semi-final on 6 May, Ant & Dec announced that there would be an extra place in the final for one additional wildcard act, who would be selected by the judges. The judges eventually narrowed the choices down to three: The Mend, Four Corners and Twist and Pulse Dance Company. The Mend were announced as the chosen wildcard act at the start of the final.[21]
- Aquabatique performed outside the studio, with the judges watching from inside.
- The voting percentages were revealed after the final.[18]
- With a peak of 13.8 million viewers, the final, for a while, was the most-watched show of 2012.[22] It was later beaten by the Diamond Jubilee Concert, the UEFA Euro 2012 quarter-final between England and Italy, the 2012 Wimbledon Men's Final and the opening and closing ceremonies of the London Olympics.
Artist | Order | Act | Finished[18] |
---|---|---|---|
The Mend | 1 | Boy band | 7th - 2.6% |
Sam Kelly | 2 | Singer/guitarist | 9th - 1.0% |
Nu Sxool | 3 | Dance troupe | 8th - 1.2% |
Molly Rainford | 4 | Singer | 6th - 2.8% |
Loveable Rogues | 5 | Acoustic group | 4th - 5.7% |
Kai and Natalia | 6 | Ballroom/latin dance couple | 11th - 0.4% |
Aquabatique | 7 | Synchronised swimmers | 10th - 0.9% |
Ryan O'Shaughnessy | 8 | Singer-songwriter/guitarist | 5th - 4.8% |
Only Boys Aloud | 9 | Male voice choir | 3rd - 15.8% |
Ashleigh and Pudsey | 10 | Dog act | 1st - 39.0% |
Jonathan and Charlotte | 11 | Opera duo | 2nd - 25.8% |
Voting
Unlike previous series, there were two ways to vote for contestants during the live shows. The first was the conventional way, an 11-digit number for each contestant that could be called from a landline or mobile, cost varying, and the new second way was by using mobile short codes, a seven-digit code assigned to a contestant during the show which could be called from any phone. Mobile short code votes also had a fixed price on any phone, and cost 50p a vote. ITV announced that at least 15p from every vote would go to charity. Unlike The X Factor, however, there was no text voting due to the risk of potential delays within the mobile text networks at busy times.[23]
It was also announced that this year one could vote from the Britain's Got Talent mobile app. Votes had to be purchased in groups of three (costing £1.49) which then could be used to vote for any act when they appear on your device. If all three votes were not used in one show, they could be carried forward to the next. Once all three votes have been used, the voter would need to buy three more if they wish to place further votes. However, due to technical difficulties during the first semi-final, voting using the Britain's Got Talent mobile app was halted and as a result was not used for the rest of the series.
Ratings
Episode | Date | Official ITV1 rating[24] (millions) |
Weekly rank[24] | Share (%) | Official ITV1 HD rating[25] (millions) |
Total ITV1 viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Auditions 1 | 24 March | 9.92 | 3 | 39.2[26] | 0.95 | 10.87 |
Auditions 2 | 31 March | 10.36 | 1 | 41.3[27] | 1.18 | 11.54 |
Auditions 3 | 7 April | 10.30 | 1 | 38.7[28] | 1.04 | 11.34 |
Auditions 4 | 14 April | 10.45 | 1 | 39.5[29] | 1.14 | 11.59 |
Auditions 5 | 21 April | 9.82 | 1 | 38.2[30] | 1.22 | 11.04 |
Auditions 6 | 28 April | 10.11 | 1 | 41.8[31] | 1.32 | 11.43 |
Auditions 7 | 5 May | 9.57 | 1 | 38.9[32] | 1.33 | 10.90 |
Semi-final 1 | 6 May | 9.37 | 2 | 35.5[33] | 1.10 | 10.47 |
Semi-final 2 | 7 May | 9.27 | 2 | 35.6[34] | 1.09 | 10.36 |
Semi-final 2 results | 8.16 | 9 | 32.4[34] | 0.90 | 9.06 | |
Semi-final 3 | 8 May | 7.86 | 12 | 33.5[35] | 0.87 | 8.73 |
Semi-final 3 results | 6.79 | 15 | 27.8[35] | 0.75 | 7.54 | |
Semi-final 4 | 9 May | 8.96 | 3 | 37.6[36] | 0.95 | 9.91 |
Semi-final 4 results | 6.94 | 14 | 27.3[36] | 0.61 | 7.55 | |
Semi-final 5 | 10 May | 8.60 | 7 | 36.6[37] | 1.03 | 9.63 |
Semi-final 5 results | 7.76 | 13 | 30.2[37] | 0.78 | 8.54 | |
Live final | 12 May | 11.16 | 1 | 46.4[22] | 1.40 | 12.56 |
Series average | 2012 | 9.17 | N/A | 36.5 | 1.06 | 10.18 |
Controversies
"Ratings war"
The series was initially supposed to premiere on 14 April, as mid-April is when each series usually begins, but it was brought forward three weeks to premiere on 24 March – the same night as the launch of The Voice UK on BBC One.[38] Many media outlets saw this move as a deliberate attempt by ITV to create a "TV ratings war" with the BBC.[39]
Beatrix Von Bourbon
The second episode of the series on 31 March featured the audition of burlesque performer Beatrix Von Bourbon. During her raunchy performance, which was broadcast at around 8:25pm (35 minutes before the 9:00pm watershed), she stripped down to nipple tassels and a corset. Cowell compared her to the American burlesque star Dita Von Teese, saying: "She could be the British version." He also jokingly asked if Von Bourbon had another song so that he could see her perform again, while Walliams afterwards collected her bra and dress from the stage. Even though Von Bourbon's breasts were covered up with superimposed stars in an effort not to offend viewers, television regulator Ofcom received over 70 complaints about the audition. An ITV spokesman said: "Beatrix's stylised burlesque performance was carefully edited to ensure it was suitable.", but Ofcom later announced that they would be launching an investigation: "The viewers who complained to us said the burlesque performer went on before the 9pm watershed and that it was inappropriate scheduling as children would have been watching."[40] On 23 July, over two months after the series ended, it was announced that ITV had been cleared of any wrongdoing.[41]
Ryan O'Shaughnessy
On 17 April, it was reported that Ryan O'Shaughnessy was facing being axed from the show after it was revealed that he already had a recording contract with Universal Music by auditioning for the first series of The Voice of Ireland in 2011.[42] This was confirmed at the end of the final auditions episode on 5 May, during which the judges decided which acts were through to the live semi-finals. After 44 acts had been put through, O'Shaughnessy was left as the only act who had not yet been told his fate. Cowell told O'Shaughnessy, "We have a bit of a problem, and I think you know what that problem is, don't you? You're on another show which you're signed up to. You signed a contract with another company so why did you come and audition for this show?". O'Shaughnessy defended himself by saying that, "Songwriting is my thing and I wasn't allowed to express my own music on the other show [The Voice of Ireland], but I was on this show [Britain's Got Talent], it was a better opportunity for me.", but Cowell told him, "All you're doing is taking the place of somebody else, who isn't in your position on two shows. I'll be absolutely blunt with you, we were going to give you a yes, but I can't... you understand that?" O'Shaughnessy said that he fully understood Cowell's decision, but insisted that he would try to get off The Voice of Ireland and out of his contract with Universal in order to come back to Britain's Got Talent.[43] It was announced later that day that O'Shaughnessy had been released from his contract and was back on Britain's Got Talent.[44]
Loveable Rogues
On 10 May, it was announced that the Loveable Rogues were handpicked by the producers who saw their act on YouTube. In an interview, the Rogues responded with "we were head-hunted by the producers", but also added "however, we did not know Cowell, and we went through the same audition process as everyone else". Cowell denied the claims and quoted "I did not know them before and me, and all the other judges, have judged them as equal as every other act since the audition". The claims have since been admitted by producers, although they categorically state "they did not know Cowell... he was as surprised and happy to see them as the public".[45]
Voting
During the first semi-final, Ant & Dec announced that votes could be cast using the Britain's Got Talent mobile app. Votes had to be purchased in groups of three (costing £1.49) which then could be used to vote for any act when they appear on your device. If all three votes were not used in one show, they could be carried forward to the next. Once all three votes have been used, the voter would need to buy three more if they wish to place further votes. However, due to technical difficulties during the first semi-final, voting using the app was halted and, as a result, was not used for the rest of the series. ITV were reprimanded by Ofcom after thousands of viewers were unable to vote using this method. Due to this technical fault, over half of votes did not go through. While Ofcom acknowledged voting via smartphones was a new concept, it said it believed ITV was responsible for ensuring everything went smoothly: "We were therefore concerned that the application was unable to handle demand when voting opened. "This meant that a significant proportion of viewers who had responded to the programme's invitation to purchase voting credits via the app were unable to use them and that therefore viewers were effectively misled - albeit unintentionally. We expect licensees to take all steps and efforts that are reasonably practicable to ensure the integrity and robustness of the systems they use. However, we accept that technical problems can arise - particularly during live transmissions.[46]
Notes
- ↑ O'Shaughnessy was initially sent home after it emerged that he already had a recording contract after appearing on The Voice of Ireland in 2011. However, he later managed to get himself released from that contract and returned to Britain's Got Talent.
References
- ↑ Hooton, Christopher (3 January 2012). "Simon Cowell added 250,000 of his own money to Britain's Got Talent-prize". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- 1 2 Emma Hallett (2 January 2012). "Alesha Dixon quits Strictly Come Dancing for Britain's Got Talent". The Independent. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ Littlejohn, Georgina (7 March 2012). "Let the TV talent show battle commence! The Voice and Britain's Got Talent set to launch on the same night". Daily Mail. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ↑ Tobin, Christian (20 November 2011). "Michael McIntyre quits 'Britain's Got Talent'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ↑ Sperling, Daniel (29 November 2011). "David Hasselhoff confirms 'Britain's Got Talent' exit". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
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- ↑ Tobin, Christian (7 December 2011). "Simon Cowell to return to 'Britain's Got Talent', confirms ITV boss". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ Bull, Sarah (26 January 2012). "Pregnant Amanda's two nights in hospital after pulling out of Britain's Got Talent auditions". London: Daily Mail. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
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- ↑ "Britain's Got Talent to hold first ever 'open audition' at London's Oval on January 22". tellymix. 3 January 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
- ↑ "BGT holds first ever Open Audition". ITV. itv.com. 4 January 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
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- ↑ "Simon Cowell 'finds a star' on day one of Britain's Got Talent auditions in Manchester". menmedia.co.uk. 22 January 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ↑ McGarry, Lisa (26 February 2012). "Britain's Got Talent 2012 semi finalists all chosen and Simon Cowell gets all cute and sweet with David Walliams' dog Bert". Unreality TV. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- ↑ Darvill, Josh (30 April 2012). "Britain's Got Talent 2012 semi-finalists 'the best in years' say Ant and Dec". tellymix. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Britain's Got Talent 2012 voting results revealed". ITV. 12 May 2012. Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- ↑ https://twitter.com/GotTalent/status/199861434623078402
- ↑ Llewellyn, Angharad (10 May 2012). "David Walliams buzzes BGT guest act LMFAO". The Sun. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ Britain's Got Talent 2012: Wildcard revealed and Diversity perform! | Unreality TV
- 1 2 Millar, Paul (13 May 2012). "'Britain's Got Talent' final is most watched show of 2012". Retrieved 13 May 2012.
- ↑ Britain's Got Talent - Short Codes
- 1 2 "Weekly Top 30 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
- ↑ "Weekly Top 10 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
- ↑ Millar, Paul (25 March 2012). "'The Voice' UK, 'Britain's Got Talent' launch with colossal ratings". Retrieved 25 March 2012.
- ↑ Millar, Paul (1 April 2012). "'The Voice' UK, 'Britain's Got Talent' ratings soar in second week". Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ↑ Millar, Paul (8 April 2012). "'The Voice' UK closes ratings gap on 'Britain's Got Talent'". Retrieved 8 April 2012.
- ↑ Millar, Paul (15 April 2012). "'The Voice' UK overtakes 'Britain's Got Talent' in ratings". Retrieved 15 April 2012.
- ↑ Millar, Paul (22 April 2012). "Britain's Got Talent pips The Voice as ratings battle intensifies". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- ↑ Millar, Paul (29 April 2012). "'Britain's Got Talent' extends lead over 'The Voice' UK". Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ↑ Millar, Paul (6 May 2012). "'The Voice' UK anchored BBC One's night with 8.16m". Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ↑ Millar, Paul (7 May 2012). "'Homeland' first season bows out in style with nearly 3m for C4". Retrieved 7 May 2012.
- 1 2 Lee, Ben (8 May 2012). "'Britain's Got Talent' secures 9.4 million for ITV1". Retrieved 8 May 2012.
- 1 2 Lee, Ben (9 May 2012). "'Britain's Got Talent' dips in ratings for third semi-final". Retrieved 9 May 2012.
- 1 2 Lee, Ben (10 May 2012). "'Britain's Got Talent' results show beats 'The Apprentice'". Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- 1 2 Millar, Paul (11 May 2012). "'Britain's Got Talent' last semi-final results show rebounds to 8.2m". Retrieved 11 May 2012.
- ↑ Sperling, Daniel (8 March 2012). "'Britain's Got Talent' launch date confirmed by Alesha Dixon". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
- ↑ Littlejohn, Georgina (7 March 2012). "Let the TV talent show battle commence! The Voice and Britain's Got Talent set to launch on the same night". London: The Daily Mail. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
- ↑ Wrenn, Eddie (23 April 2012). "Ofcom to investigate Britain's Got Talent after raunchy burlesque act goes out before watershed". Daily Mail. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
- ↑ "Ofcom clears Britain's Got Talent burlesque act". BBC News. 23 July 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
- ↑ "Britain's Got Talent news: Ryan O'Shaughnessy to be axed from show after The Voice refuse to release him from contract". The Sun. London.
- ↑ Llewellyn, Angharad. "Furious Cowell: You've left me Ryan dry". The Sun. London.
- ↑ Ryan: ‘I'm going through to the Semi-Finals!’
- ↑ Revoir, Paul (10 May 2012). "BGT in 'fix' row as finalists The Loveable Rogues admit they were hand-picked by producers to audition for judges". Daily Mail. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ Fahy, Colette (23 July 2012). "ITV rapped by Ofcom over BGT voting fiasco after smartphone app failed to cope with demand". Daily Mail. Retrieved 14 April 2013.