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 have handed out many Golden Buzzer's over the years, can you remember some of the most famous
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.
