Britain’s Got Talent viewers were left divided over the two acts sent through to the final after the first live show on Monday.
Monday’s live semi-final saw opera singer Innocent Massuki sail straight into Sunday’s final after the public vote, while the judges chose Sslaubi Performance Troupe as the second act to bag a place.
Fans of the show were blown away by Innocent’s vocal prowess, hailing him an ‘absolute star’, while others called Sslaubi’s performance ‘mesmerising’.
But the two chosen finalists divided viewers, with some complaining that the South African singer and Korean martial arts group were not British.
This year’s talent show has been awash with complaints over international acts being invited to audition for the show, and viewers on Monday were no different as they took to social media to voice their frustrations.
Britain’s Got Talent viewers were left divided over the two acts sent through to the final after the first live show on Monday
Monday’s live semi-final saw opera singer Innocent Massuki sail straight into Sunday’s final after the public vote, while the judges chose Sslaubi Performance Troupe (pictured) as the second act to bag a place
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, they said: ‘Don’t mind if the contestants aren’t Brits if they live here but by all accounts, tonight’s winners flew into the UK just for this competition. If correct it’s just wrong,’;
‘So two acts go through on BGT who aren’t British. No hesitation from the judges. Those dogs deserved to go through more, they were amazing,’;
‘They should rename this Britain’s got no talent as more than half of them weren’t even British,’; ‘And the first 2 finalists through are…..not from Britain.’
Another fact which angered viewers was already-established acts being brought in to audition.
Fans said: ‘Stop flying these already established acts in. Both these 2 are already famous in there countries. The trickster lady lost previously and has trained again and come back and not been head hunted it’s a joke now,’;
‘Talent shows shouldn’t include professionals, Innocent is an incredible opera singer but shouldn’t be on the show, whose in tomorrows semi Elton John tickling the ivories.’
However many viewers did not echo these sentiments, and were delighted with Innocent and Sslaubi making it through.
They said: ‘Innocent is straight into the final. He’s the winner right there. Wow well done innocent,’;
Fans of the show were blown away by Innocent’s vocal prowess, hailing him an ‘absolute star’
Other viewers called Sslaubi’s performance ‘mesmerising’
But the two chosen finalists divided viewers, with some complaining that the South African singer and Korean martial arts group were not British
This year’s talent show has been awash with complaints over international acts being invited to audition for the show, and viewers on Monday were no different as they took to social media to voice their frustrations
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, they said: ‘Don’t mind if the contestants aren’t Brits if they live here but by all accounts, tonight’s winners flew into the UK just for this competition. If correct it’s just wrong,’
Another fact which angered viewers was already-established acts being brought in to audition
Fans said: ‘Stop flying these already established acts in. Both these 2 are already famous in there countries’
‘Travesty Innocent Masuku wasn’t given a golden buzzer for his audition. He’s an absolute star. Fantastic voice. He’s only gone from strength to strength. Incredible,’;
‘Thank goodness for that common sense prevailed. Ssaulabi go through over the dog act! And called it with the night’s winner. Innocent. Well deserved!’;
‘This was the right result, both were brilliant, shame dog act just missed out but that’s the way it goes sometimes,’;
‘Well done public and panel #BritainsGotTalent #BGT2024 #BGT for choosing my two favourites the #martialarts #performance #act and the #opera #singer. Superb talent and well both deserved. All I will say is Good Luck is with you both,’;
‘Sslaubi Performance Troupe were just unreal, absolutely fantastic and mesmerising to watch.’
After six weeks of auditions, the live semi-finals kicked off as eight acts competed with one another in the hope of landing themselves a valuable place in Sunday’s grand finale.
A further eight entrants will feature each night of the week before the final, with two acts from each evening making it through – one decided from a public vote and the second decided by the judges.
However many viewers did not echo these sentiments, and were delighted with Innocent and Sslaubi making it through
They said: ‘Innocent is straight into the final. He’s the winner right there. Wow well done innocent,’
The winner will get a life-changing £250,000 cash prize and a spot on the bill of the Royal Variety Performance.
The eight acts who performed on Monday night were Sven Smith, The Trickstars, Trey Braine, Sslaubi Performance Troupe, Taryn Charles, Bikoon, Stardust and Innocent Masuku.
Another feature of Monday night’s semi-final which puzzled viewers, was that there were so many golden buzzer acts with three in the one show – Sslaubi Performance Troupe, Taryn Charles and Duo Stardust.
Viewers said: ‘Are they doing all the golden buzzers tonight? Seems odd,’; ‘Tonight’s show going mad with the Golden Buzzer acts,’;
‘May aswell rename it the Golden Buzzer show at this rate, featuring a man in a bag,’;
‘Most of the golden buzzers are on tonight I noticed,’; ‘Haven’t watched the auditions. How many golden buzzers are there?! Last time I watched they had one each and out one in each semi-final?!’;
‘Every act tonight is a golden buzzer act?? this show is silly,’; ‘Are they all just golden buzzer acts at this point?’
Earlier in the show, Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer act were given the boot after he savagely turned on them.
Simon Cowell’s Britain’s Got Talent Golden Buzzer act were given the boot during the first live semi-final of the show on Monday after he savagely turned on them
Married couple Vlada and Yevhenii were voted by Simon as his second Golden Buzzer act during Sunday’s episode
They were kicked out of the competition by the viewing public after they failed to get enough votes on Monday
Viewers were stunned as he told Ukrainian stunt roller skaters Duo Stardust he was disappointed in their performance, prompting series fans to ask if the seemingly mellowed talent show judge’s acid tongue had returned.
Married couple Vlada and Yevhenii were voted by Simon as his second Golden Buzzer act during Sunday’s episode but they were kicked out of the competition by the viewing public after they failed to get enough votes on Monday.
Their first audition in front of the judges – Simon, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli – involved Yevhenii spinning Vlada around by her ankles while circling on his skates, before they were hoisted into the air on a high-wire as fireworks on the back of Vlada’s skates lit up the theatre.
During Monday’s live semi-final, viewers took to social media to say the pair were their winners but Simon held a different opinion, saying he felt let down despite them flinging panellist Bruno into the air as part of their act.
Simon said: ‘This was great. It wasn’t as good as the audition though.’
As the audience booed him, Simon continued: ‘I’m disappointed and I’ll tell you why. I think you let the production overshadow your talent tonight which is a real shame.’