Britain's Got Talent (ITV May 30th and before)

I was there watching with the Nation, nay the whole world. I was gripped, having an opinion on nearly every act, the way the judges responded, the way Ant and Dec presented. Yes I was fully entertained. In writing this and thinking about what I was going to write in my blog, I realised that that was the very point. At the end of the day, who is the winner isn’t the most important aspect of the show, nor is giving thousands of people the chance they crave in life. The whole aim is to put together an entertainment. We could argue for days which were the best acts and who should be put through etc, but the ‘judges’ and the producers of this programme are extremely astute in deciding what they use in the montages they produce from the auditions, and even more so in how the semi finals are constructed. Surely with all those people auditioning, there should never be a red buzzer in the semi finals. Of course there are plenty. The semi finals are made up of a variety of acts – the children, dancers, a singer, a novelty act, and the act that Simon didn’t think should get through.

When a young ten year old girl bursts into tears on stage as the act disintegrates through nerves, the camera is focused on her face to get every wobble. There is no privacy from our gaze. Amanda Holden tries to get to the stage to console poor Hollie, but the ‘stunning’ dress prevents her and the young girl’s mother is there to console instead. Can the young child do the performance again? No says someone through Ant and Dec’s earpiece, but Simon (Cowell) interjects and yes time would be found. The time is found from the News at Ten, a privilege only for football and Formula One. Would we keep watching if there wasn’t these moments as if we are privy to the dramas that aren’t supposed to be scripted. Indeed, watching this is uncomfortable, and yet it is these uncomfortable moments that keep us watching. The production team are brilliant at keeping what is a talent show at the end of the day in the media. Was it genius to put Susan Boyle on the first show, so the story would run through the series. Does it matter that Susan didn’t win, when we have taken her to our hearts anyway.

Yes, Britain’s Got Talent is a national event, fighting for a place on the world stage, shifting the News at Ten out of its slot. I’m hooked and I’ve bought into it all.

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