Britain’s Got Talent presenters Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly took a moment to address the audience following Saturday night’s show when it took a turn for the worst.
BGT got off to an awkward start on Saturday night(Image: ITV)
A fresh batch of eight hopeful contestants graced the screen on Saturday, May 3, on Britain’s Got Talent for its semi-finals. However just minutes into the show, hosts Ant and Dec were forced to step in.
The TV duo addressed the audience, as one star was subject to a chorus of booing during the opening segment of the show. As Ant and Dec approached the judges table to recap the previous week’s episode, they were met with loud booms from the crowd.
It was so loud that it drowned out Dec’s voice once they joined ballroom legend Bruno Tonioli. Pausing himself mid-sentence, Dec addressed the room, saying: “Thank you. Thank you. Bruno is here, we know.”
Fans soon took to social media puzzled at the response in the audience, as one person quipped, “Were people booing and heckling Bruno?”
Another viewer questioned: “Why were they booing Bruno when he was praising the talent? The audience is so jarring.” A third concerned viewer asked: “Why’s [the] crowd booing Bruno?”
Bruno Tonioli didn’t get a welcomed reception from the audience members(Image: ITV/Britains Got Talent)
However in true Bruno style, he brushed the awkward moment off with grace as he spun around in his chair to wave at the audience, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Later in the show, the judge later offered advice to the performers set to take to the stage. Bruno said: “I’m always nervous before every show.
“Use that to energise you. We’re here; the audience is fantastic; we want to support you. Use it and enjoy it in a positive way.”
The crowd started becoming loud again, which led to Dec letting off a smirk towards the camera as the audience jeered Bruno yet again. Ant humorously expressed his hope for a smooth show.
It comes in reference to last week’s episode which was interrupted because Teddy Magic “wasn’t ready” to perform. A live broadcast of the show took an unexpected turn when Ant explained: “Now, Teddy isn’t quite ready backstage yet. He hasn’t got his magic up and ready yet, so we’ll chat to you judges.”
The sudden turn of events caught music mogul Simon Cowell off guard, as he commented: “Hang on, so the act’s not ready?”
“It’s okay; it’s live,” Ant quipped. “And he’s only eight years old, so back off, man!”
In a new twist to the ITV talent show, the semi-finals of the competition will now span five consecutive Saturday nights, rather than the traditional week-long schedule. As a result, the final has been rescheduled to air on Saturday, May 31.
ITV has confirmed that the Golden Buzzer will return for the live episodes. Traditionally, the Golden Buzzer has been a feature of the audition process, offering selected contestants a direct path to the finals.
This year, however, it will also play a role in the live shows, with each judge, along with Ant and Dec, having the opportunity to use the buzzer on a Saturday night.
Britain’s Got Talent: Live Semi-Final returns next Saturday at 7pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
Join the Daily Record’s WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.