Two weeks in, we can make an evermore decisive declaration – Britain’s Got Talent has never been this good. That’s not a statement we take lightly, and we’d hate to have jinxed things, but last night’s episode was so crammed with variety and talent that the 10th series of ITV’s behemoth is shaping up to be its finest.
As with last week, the eclectic mix of acts is what set tonight apart. We had a fella juggling balls with his mouth, a tea lady on gigantic stilts (no, you need to see this for yourself) and a multi-instrumental UN employee on slightly smaller stilts. Notice the theme? Magic was also prevalent, with some efforts (such as Jim Everett’s slimy attempt to snag a golden buzzer) proving amusingly un-spellbinding.
The variety was a perfect mix of nuttiness and pure talent. We met 14 year-old Jack Higgins, who nailed an intricate and gentle ballet routine to earn big applause. Critics will roll their eyes at the emotional bullying tale that tagged along with him, but we hope even they can appreciate the effort and precision needed to succeed in that genre. We also met theatrical troupe Another Kind of Blue, where their not-so-succinct title was accompanied by an innovative (if initially confusing) fusion of dance with background scenery. Was it an ‘Attraction Moment’? Perhaps not on the same scale, but it was definitely a marvel and provided something we’d never have expected to see.
The last act of the evening was a real energiser – 100 Voices of Gospel fused powerful individual voices, chirpy dancing and synchronised group harmonies which got us off our feet and prancing in front of the telly. Too much cider caused us to stumble a little, but the energy was so infectious that we didn’t care. The choir deservedly got a big push of the golden buzzer by Alesha, and it’s great for her to finally back something a little more traditional. There are only so many ‘edgy’ singing and dancing assemblies we can tolerate.
The ensemble brought a joyous end to another joyous episode of Britain’s Got Talent 2016. With its engaging variety of talents and light, fun-focused tone, it’s been an unbelievable start. Can it maintain this for 5 more episodes? Who knows – but we certainly hope so. Quality BGT is escapism and adrenaline at its best.