Britain’s Got Talent returned to screens on Saturday night, and is seemingly already off to a promising start.
According to overnight figures, the launch episode of series 17 saw an average of 5 million viewers tuning in, with a peak of 5.8 million.
The ratings make it ITV’s biggest overnight audience of the year so far since The FA Cup quarter final match last month, which garnered 5.5 million viewers.
While the show raked in 642,000 viewers aged between 16 and 34, roughly a 42 per cent share of viewing.
But despite gaining strong viewers for the broadcaster, the ratings were still down from last year’s launch episode.
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Britain’s Got Talent returned to screens on Saturday night, and is seemingly already off to a promising start (Alesha Dixon pictured)
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According to overnight figures, the launch episode of series 17 saw an average of 5 million viewers tuning in, with a peak of 5.8 million (Amanda Holden pictured)
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The ratings make it ITV ’s biggest overnight audience of the year so far since The FA Cup quarter final match last month, which garnered 5.5 million viewers (Bruno Tonioli pictured)
The 2023 opener peaked at 6.2million viewers, which ITV said was its highest rated programme of the year.
It reflects a steady decline in viewings for the show, after the 2022 series premiere saw a TV audience peak of 7.2 million, following a two year break due to Covid.
The opening episode of the new series saw a slew of new acts vying to show off their talents and get through to the live shows.
Sydnie Christmas caused controversy, pulling the show into its first fix row of the year after getting the Golden Buzzer.
The singer, 28, stunned judges Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli with her incredible rendition of Tomorrow from the musical Annie.
Amanda Holden so impressed with the performance that she pressed the Gold Buzzer, sending Sydnie straight through to the semi-finals.
However, despite revealing her dreams of working in the West End and her current role as a receptionist, it was revealed she was already an experienced musical theatre performer.
As viewers discovered Sydnie had in fact had quite the career on stage, they took to X in droves to accuse the show of being fixed.
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But despite gaining strong viewers for the broadcaster, the ratings were still down from last year’s launch episode
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It reflects a steady decline in viewings for the show, after the 2022 series premiere saw a TV audience peak of 7.2 million, following a two year break due to Covid
The speculation only continued to grow after AI talent group RASK AI stunned the judges with their rendition of The Greatest Showman.
The tech was used to edit the stars’ faces onto characters from the hit movie, including Hugh Jackman and Zendaya.
They transformed showrunner Simon, 64, into a ringmaster, Amanda, 53, into the bearded lady, Bruno, 68, into a strong man and Alesha, 45, into a trapeze circus act.
But while the judges were left amazed by the group’s deep fake video of them singing the film’s hit song with live cameras, viewers at home seemed less than impressed by the trippy act.
Dubbing the group ‘silly’ and ‘talentless’, fans shared their confusion over the judge’s shocked reactions, as TV buffs drew similarities between them and a former group who performed on America’s Got Talent, Metaphysics.
Simon, who labelled the UK group as ‘original’, appeared shocked by the group’s video skills and seemingly forgot that he had seen something similar on his American show just two years earlier.
In 2022, Metaphysics appeared on AGT and showed the world their creation of Simon singing You’re The Inspiration.
Astonished by the US performance, Simon confessed his love to the creator, as they were awarded with four fat yeses.
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Sydnie Christmas caused controversy, pulling the show into its first fix row of the year after getting the Golden Buzzer (pictured)
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Amanda Holden so impressed with the performance that she pressed the Gold Buzzer, sending Sydnie straight through to the semi-finals
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The speculation only continued to grow after AI talent group RASK AI stunned the judges with their rendition of The Greatest Showman
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They transformed showrunner Simon, 64, into a ringmaster, Amanda, 53, into the bearded lady, Bruno, 68, into a strong man and Alesha, 45, into a trapeze circus act
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Elsewhere, Alesha stormed off the stage after Kimberly Winter flew all the way from America with her ‘offensive’ performance.
The American hopeful confessed to having a crush on Simon despite her husband sitting in the crowd, and said she wanted to make her act ‘worldwide’.
But as soon as Winner Takes It All by ABBA started playing, Kimberley shocked the judges and audience with a series of loud burps.
Alesha was left totally baffled and couldn’t contain a shocking face reaction, quickly rushing to press the buzzer.
She was consequentially joined by judge Bruno, 68, who was also left very unimpressed by the performance as he begged: ‘Please not another one!’
While Alesha and Bruno were bewildered and asked for it to not continue, Simon and Amanda, 52, were not of the same opinion – and actually seemed to be enjoying the chaotic moment.
But despite people in the audience booing Kimberly, radio host Amanda unexpectedly joined the belching herself.
That was the last straw for Alesha, who stormed off stage dragging Bruno with her and said on her way out: ‘I’m out of here!’
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Elsewhere, Alesha stormed off the stage after Kimberly Winter flew all the way from America with her ‘offensive’ performance
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But as soon as Winner Takes It All by ABBA started playing, Kimberley shocked the judges and audience with a series of loud burps
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View gallery
Alesha was left totally baffled and couldn’t contain a shocking face reaction, quickly rushing to press the buzzer
But in another twist, Bruno made a U-turn and revealed he had a change of heart about his vote.
‘[I’m saying yes] just because I can’t possibly imagine how you’re going to out gross this grossness. I’ll change it around,’ he said.
However, all four judges were left gobsmacked after Mike Woodhams stunned them with some brilliant impersonation skills.
The music teacher from Milton Keynes, 37, firstly confused judges lifting up his hood, and then began singing James Blunt’s hit You’re Beautiful.
Both the audience and judges were left mesmerised by Mike’s ability to impersonate the singer perfectly.
The crowd was left in shock as the performer – who teaches to three to six-year-old kids in his day job – also impersonated Ronan Keating, Gabrielle, Macy Gray, Anastacia and Heather Small, and gave him a standing ovation.
Even head judge Simon couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as he flashed a thumb up in the singer’s direction.
Bruno gushed over the talented performer, and said: ‘You should be proud, it’s the best vocal impressions I have heard in a very very long time.’
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However, all four judges were left gobsmacked after Mike Woodhams stunned them with some brilliant impersonation skills
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The crowd was left in shock as the music teacher impersonated Ronan Keating , Gabrielle, Macy Gray, Anastacia and Heather Small, and gave him a standing ovation.
Meanwhile Amanda also couldn’t stop singing his praises and echoed: ‘I just loved it, what a talent. You’re just amazing. I was just gobsmacked, I’ve never seen anything like you, you’re super talented.’
Simon, who is well-known for his sharp sense of criticism, joined the stunned panel and praised him: ‘I’m so surprised because you really undersold yourself.
‘I would just say going forward, really start believing in yourself and you’re the kind of act I believe could win this show.’
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