Britain's Got Talent (series 3)
Britain's Got Talent | |
---|---|
Series 3 | |
Broadcast from | 11 April – 30 May 2009 |
Judges |
Simon Cowell Amanda Holden Piers Morgan Kelly Brook (guest) |
Presenter(s) |
Anthony McPartlin (ITV) Declan Donnelly (ITV) |
Co-presenter(s) | Stephen Mulhern (ITV2) |
Broadcaster |
ITV ITV2 (BGMT) |
Winner | |
Diversity | |
| |
Origin | Dagenham, England |
Runner-up | |
Susan Boyle |
Series Three of Britain's Got Talent, a British talent competition series, began broadcasting in the UK during 2009, from 11 April to 30 May on ITV. Although the producers initially intended to expand the judging panel by adding in Kelly Brook as a fourth judge,[1][2] they later dropped the change to the format after using it for six days within the auditions stage of the competition; Brooks was labelled as a "guest judge" when the series was broadcast, as a direct result.[3][4] Apart from this, no other changes were made.
The third series was won by street dance troupe Diversity, with singer Susan Boyle finishing second and saxophonist Julian Smith finishing third. During its broadcast, the series averaged around 13.3 million viewers; the figures were partly helped by the notable performances of Boyle during her time in on the show.[5]
Series overview
Following open auditions held the previous year, the Judges' auditions took place across January and February 2009, within Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, London and Cardiff. When the auditions were being overseen, the producers decided to expand the judging panel by adding a fourth judge to proceedings, and thus they recruited Kelly Brook as their choice for this role.[1] The alteration to the panel was made prior to the Manchester auditions, but within six days after it was introduced, the producers deemed it an over-complication to the show's format and dropped it. As a result, Brook, while receiving her fee for her involvement in the third series, was labelled as a guest judge when it began broadcasting.[3] This series is notable for launching the career of Susan Boyle, whose performances, including her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical Les Misérables during her auditions, made her internationally famous; her audition in particular was later posted to YouTube, whereupon it earned around 100 million views within five days.[6][7][8][9][10][11]
Of the participants that took part, only forty made it past this stage and into the five live semi-finals,[12] with eight appearing in each one, and ten of these acts making it into the live final. The following below lists the results of each participant's overall performance in this series:
- Winner
- Runner-up
- Third place
- Finalist
- Semi-finalist (lost judges' vote)
- Semi-finalist (eliminated)
Participant | Age(s)1 | Genre | Act | From | Semi-Final | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 Grand | 12 and 76 | Singing | Grandfather and granddaughter singing duo | Doncaster, England | 4 | Finalist (Won Judges' vote) |
Aidan Davis | 12 | Dancing | Street dancer | Birmingham, England | 5 | Finalist (Won Public vote) |
The Barrow Boys | 18–27 | Dancing | Wheelbarrow dancers | Devon, England | 3 | Eliminated |
Ben and Becky | 18,16 | Dancing | Ballroom dancers | Essex, England | 3 | Eliminated |
Brit Chix | 23–26 | Music | Rock band | Boston, England | 4 | Eliminated |
Callum Francis | 12 | Music | Musical theatre performer | Hertfordshire, England | 4 | Eliminated (Lost Judges' vote) |
Darth Jackson | 37 | Dancing | Darth Vader and Michael Jackson impersonator | Birmingham, England | 1 | Eliminated |
DCD Seniors | 14–21 | Dancing | Dance troupe | Cardiff, Wales | 5 | Eliminated |
Diversity | 13–25 | Dancing | Street dancers | Dagenham, England | 1 | Winner |
DJ Talent | 30 | Singing | Rapper | London | 2 | Eliminated |
The Dreambears | 29–34 | Comedy / Dancing | Comedy dancers | London | 5 | Eliminated |
Fabia Cerra | 35 | Dancing | Burlesque dancer | Oxford, England | 4 | Eliminated |
Faces of Disco | 24,30 | Comedy / Dancing | Comedy dancers | London | 1 | Eliminated |
Flawless | 20–31 | Dancing | Street dancers | London | 2 | Finalist (Won Public vote) |
Floral High Notes | 43,46 | Singing / Variety | Opera singing and flower arranging | Stockport, England | 3 | Eliminated |
Fred Bowers | 73 | Dancing | Break dancing pensioner | Loughborough, England | 4 | Eliminated |
Gareth Oliver | 28 | Comedy | Ventriloquism | Calderdale, England | 2 | Eliminated (Lost Judges' vote) |
Good Evans | 6–42 | Singing | Singing family | Coventry, England | 5 | Eliminated |
Greg Pritchard | 24 | Singing | Countertenor/Male Soprano | Usk, Wales | 5 | Eliminated (Lost Judges' vote) |
Harmony | 14,16 | Music / Singing | Musical theatre performers | Essex, England | 3 | Eliminated |
Hollie Steel | 10 | Singing | Singer | Accrington, England | 5 | Finalist (Won Judges' vote) |
Hot Honeyz | 16–25 | Dancing | Dancers | Maidstone, England | 2 | Eliminated |
Jackie Prescott and Tippy Toes | 40,2 | Dancing / Animals | Dog dancing | Oxford, England | 4 | Eliminated |
Jamie Pugh | 38 | Singing | Singer | Cardiff, Wales | 2 | Eliminated |
Julia Naidenko | 24 | Dancing | Belly dancer | London (originally Latvia) | 1 | Eliminated |
Julian Smith | 40 | Music | Saxophonist | Halesowen, England | 4 | Third place |
Kay Oresanya | 31 | Singing / Variety | Human "saxophonist" | Glasgow, Scotland (originally Nigeria) | 3 | Eliminated |
Luke Clements | 36 | Variety | Fruit Juggler | Cornwall, England | 5 | Eliminated |
Martin "Gos" Matcham | 35 | Music | Guitar player | Dover, England | 5 | Eliminated |
MD Showgroup | 9–17 | Dancing | Street dancers | Liverpool, England | 3 | Eliminated (Lost Judges' vote) |
Merlin Cadogan | 35 | Danger | Escapologist, Juggler, Breath Holder | Devon, England | 2 | Eliminated |
Natalie Okri | 10 | Singing | Singer | London | 1 | Eliminated (Lost Judges' vote) |
Nick Hell | 26 | Danger | Freak show/stunt performer | Sunderland, England | 1 | Eliminated |
Peter Coghlan | 48 | Variety | Drag act | Stafford, England | 2 | Eliminated |
Shaheen Jafargholi | 12 | Singing | Singer | Swansea, Wales | 3 | Finalist (Won Judges' vote) |
Shaun Smith | 17 | Singing | Singer | Lichfield, England | 2 | Finalist (Won Judges' vote) |
Stavros Flatley | 13,40 | Comedy / Dancing | Comedy Dancers | London (originally Cyprus) | 3 | Finalist (Won Public vote) |
Sue Son | 24 | Music | Electric Violinist | London | 1 | Eliminated |
Susan Boyle | 48 | Singing | Singer | Blackburn, Scotland | 1 | Runner-up |
Sugarfree | 16–23 | Dancing | Street dancers | Gravesend, England | 4 | Eliminated |
- ^1 Ages denoted here are for their last performance in the series.
Semi-final summary
Buzzed out Judges' vote - Won the public vote | Won the judges' vote
- Lost the judges' vote | Eliminated
Semi-final 1 (24 May)
Semi-Finalist | Order | Act | Buzzes and judges' votes | Result [13] | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowell | Holden | Morgan | ||||
Diversity | 1 | Street Dance Group | 2nd (Won Judges' vote) | |||
Sue Son | 2 | Electric Violinist | Eliminated | |||
Darth Jackson | 3 | Darth Vader/Michael Jackson Impersonator | Eliminated | |||
Natalie Okri | 4 | Singer | 3rd (Lost Judges' vote) | |||
Julia Naidenko | 5 | Belly Dancer | Eliminated | |||
Nick Hell | 6 | Stunt Performer | Eliminated | |||
Faces of Disco | 7 | Comedy Dancers | Eliminated | |||
Susan Boyle | 8 | Singer | 1st (Won Public vote) |
Semi-final 2 (25 May)
Semi-Finalist | Order | Act | Buzzes and judges' votes | Result [13] | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowell | Holden | Morgan | ||||
DJ Talent | 1 | Rapper | Eliminated | |||
Merlin Cadogan | 2 | Escapologist | Eliminated | |||
Hot Honeyz | 3 | Dancers | Eliminated | |||
Jamie Pugh | 4 | Singer | Eliminated | |||
Peter Coghlan | 5 | Drag Act | Eliminated | |||
Gareth Oliver | 6 | Ventriloquist | 3rd (Lost Judges' vote) | |||
Shaun Smith | 7 | Singer | 2nd (Won Judges' vote) | |||
Flawless | 8 | Street Dance Troupe | 1st (Won Public vote) |
Semi-final 3 (26 May)
Semi-Finalist | Order | Act | Buzzes and judges' votes | Result [13] | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowell | Holden | Morgan | ||||
Harmony | 1 | Musical Theatre Performers | Eliminated | |||
Kay Oresanya | 2 | Human Saxophonist | Eliminated | |||
Ben and Becky | 3 | Ballroom Dancers | Eliminated | |||
Shaheen Jafargholi | 4 | Singer | 2nd (Won Judges' vote) | |||
The Barrow Boys | 5 | Wheelbarrow Dancers | Eliminated | |||
MD Showgroup | 6 | Dancers | 3rd (Lost Judges' vote) | |||
Floral High Notes | 7 | Opera Singers | Eliminated | |||
Stavros Flatley | 8 | Comedy Dancers | 1st (Won Public vote) |
Semi-final 4 (28 May)
Semi-Finalist | Order | Act | Buzzes and judges' votes | Result [13] | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowell | Holden | Morgan | ||||
Sugar Free | 1 | Dancers | Eliminated | |||
Jackie Prescott and Tippy Toes | 2 | Dancing Dog Act | Eliminated | |||
Callum Francis | 3 | Musical Theatre Performer | 3rd (Lost Judges' vote) | |||
Fred Bowers | 4 | Breakdancer | Eliminated | |||
Brit Chix | 5 | Rock Band | Eliminated | |||
Julian Smith | 6 | Saxophonist | 1st (Won Public vote) | |||
2 Grand | 7 | Singers | 2nd (Won Judges' vote) | |||
Fabia Cerra | 8 | Burlesque Dancer | Eliminated |
Semi-final 5 (29 May)
Semi-Finalist | Order | Act | Buzzes and judges' votes | Result [13] | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowell | Holden | Morgan | ||||
The Dreambears | 1 | Comedy Dancers | Eliminated | |||
Good Evans | 2 | Singers | Eliminated | |||
Luke Clements | 3 | Extreme Juggler | Eliminated | |||
Hollie Steel | 4 | Soprano Singer | 2nd (Won Judges' vote) | |||
Martin Matcham | 5 | Singer and Guitarist | Eliminated | |||
Aidan Davis | 6 | Dancer | 1st (Won public vote) | |||
DCD Seniors | 7 | Dancers | Eliminated | |||
Greg Pritchard | 8 | Countertenor Singer | 3rd (Lost Judges' vote) |
Final (30 May)
- Winner | Runner-up | 3rd place
Finalist | Order | Act | Finished [13] |
---|---|---|---|
Flawless | 1 | Dance Troupe | 8th |
Shaheen Jafargholi | 2 | Singer | 7th |
Aidan Davis | 3 | Street dancer | 5th |
2 Grand | 4 | Singers | 10th |
Hollie Steel | 5 | Singer | 6th |
Stavros Flatley | 6 | Comedy Dancers | 4th |
Shaun Smith | 7 | Singer | 9th |
Susan Boyle | 8 | Singer | 2nd |
Diversity | 9 | Dance Group | 1st |
Julian Smith | 10 | Saxophonist | 3rd |
Ratings
Episode | Date | Official ratings (millions)[14] |
Weekly rank[14] | Share |
---|---|---|---|---|
Auditions 1 | 11 April | 11.21 | 1 | 45.1%[15] |
Auditions 2 | 18 April | 12.95 | 1 | 50.6%[16] |
Auditions 3 | 25 April | 13.21 | 1 | 52.3%[17] |
Auditions 4 | 2 May | 11.30 | 1 | 47.2%[18] |
Auditions 5 | 9 May | 11.98 | 1 | 48.4%[19] |
Auditions 6 | 16 May | 11.09 | 1 | 41.0%[20] |
Auditions 7 | 23 May | 12.62 | 2 | 51.1%[21] |
Semi-final 1 | 24 May | 12.93 | 1 | 49.2%[22] |
Semi-final 2 | 25 May | 14.66 | 3 | 51.6%[23] |
Semi-final 3 | 26 May | 13.56 | 5 | 49.9%[24] |
Semi-final 4 | 28 May | 13.11 | 6 | 51.2%[25] |
Semi-final 5 | 29 May | 13.84 | 4 | 57.3%[26] |
Live final | 30 May | 16.36 | 2 | 71%[27] |
Live final results | 18.29 | 1 | 67.6%[27] |
Criticism & incidents
Unsuitable content complaint
Following the broadcast of the first audition episode on 11 April 2009, several complaints were made to Ofcom over the programme's decision to air footage of the audition made by burlesque dancer Fabia Cerra. The act was criticised by viewers for being unsuitable for a family audience, primarily because it involved Cerra stripping down to a basque and nipple tassels. In its defence, ITV stated that it had done its utmost to edit the footage, including censoring much of the content and utilising reaction shots of the judges and the audience attending her audition, however the regulator stated that it would be launching an investigation into the matter on the grounds of cross-checking it with their broadcasting codes on content that is suitable for children to watch.[28]
Susan Boyle's well-being
Prior to the live final's broadcast, several media outlets began publishing similar stories about the series' favourite, Susan Boyle, claiming that she faced being axed over the show due to concerns on her mental well-being. The show's producers refuted such claims when they learnt of these, pointing out that the well-being of any participants was a top priority amongst the production team, while Piers Morgan made a statement revealing that she had been close to leaving the show, but stated that this was due to Boyle becoming increasingly "distraught" over the negative press headlines she had reading about.[29]
Having been "emotionally drained" from her efforts to give her best in her performances after the third series ended, Boyle was later admitted to The Priory psychiatric clinic in London to recover, but this raised concerns over what would be published in the media about her health, especially with her well-being gaining considerable attention amongst fans and the public, including then Prime Minister Gordon Brown.[30][31] Seeking to protect Boyle from any unwanted issues from the media, the Press Complaints Commission were contacted for help in ensuring that she was given privacy for the duration of her stay at the clinic. Agreeing to this, the PCC issued a firm warning amongst press editors, stating that they had to adhere to the code of press conduct in regards to its rules on privacy - this included not allowing unauthorised photography to take place and respecting Boyle's entitlement to privacy.[32][33]
References
- 1 2 Moore, Matthew (14 January 2009). "Kelly Brook named Britain's Got Talent judge". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Retrieved 14 January 2009.
- ↑ "TV – News – Brook confirmed for 'Britain's Got Talent'". Digital Spy. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
- 1 2 "Kelly Brook Axed From Britain's Got Talent". Daily Mirror. 20 January 2009. Retrieved 20 January 2009.
- ↑ "TV – News – Brook axed from 'Britain's Got Talent'". Digital Spy. 20 January 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
- ↑ Leigh Holmwood (14 April 2009). "Britain's got talent hits high note,'". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ "Talent show singer is online hit, BBC". BBC News. 15 April 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ Sadie Gray Last updated 7 January 2012 1:16 pm (29 March 2010). "Singing Talent of Susan Boyle Stuns Simon Cowell, Times of London". The Times. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ "An unlikely star brings smiles to views, NBC Nightly News". MSNBC. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ "Le Monde – Susan Boyle, chanteuse en herbe et vedette sur le Web". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ "L'Express – Susan Boyle, la révélation de "Britain's got talent"". L'Express (in French). Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ "Le Figaro – La gloire surprise de Susan Boyle". Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ "Britain's Got Talent – your 40 semi-finalists revealed | STV Entertainment". Entertainment.stv.tv. 23 May 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
- 1 2 "Weekly Top 30 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
- ↑ "TV – News – Huge audiences for 'Talent', 'Who'". Digital Spy. 12 April 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
- ↑ "TV – News – 'Talent' climbs to 11.9 million". Digital Spy. 20 April 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
- ↑ "'Talent' appeals to 12.2 million". Digital Spy. 27 April 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ "Latest 'Talent' pulls in 10.5 million". Digital Spy. 5 May 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ "'Got Talent' back up to 11.1 million". Digital Spy. 11 May 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ "7.8 million tune in for Eurovision". Digital Spy. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ "'Talent', 'Primeval' help ITV1 win Saturday". Digital Spy. 26 May 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ Susan Boyle shows 13.6m she's Got Talent Archived 1 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "Latest 'Talent' peaks with 15.4 million". Digital Spy. 26 May 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ "12.8 million tune in for third 'Talent' semi". Digital Spy. 27 May 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ "TV – News – 'Talent' boosts ITV News to 6.1m". Digital Spy. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
- ↑ "TV – News – Friday 'Talent' pulls in 13.1 million". Digital Spy. 1 June 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
- 1 2 "TV – News – 'Talent' final peaks with 19.2 million". Digital Spy. 31 May 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
- ↑ "Britain's Got Talent burlesque stripper prompts dozens of complaints to Ofcom". The Guardian. 15 April 2009. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
- ↑ "Boyle favourite for Talent finale". BBC News. 30 May 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
- ↑ "Talent star Boyle taken to clinic". BBC News. 1 June 2009.
- ↑ Jamieson, Alastair (3 June 2009). "Susan Boyle could be in Priory clinic for weeks, says doctor". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Retrieved 24 May 2009.
- ↑ Brook, Stephen (3 June 2009). "Susan Boyle: press warned to back off Britain's Got Talent star". The Guardian. London.
- ↑ Editors Code of Practice