Welcome to the first in a weekly series counting down to Britain’s Got Talent 2016, and celebrating 10 years of the variety extravaganza! Whether you’re a fan of the nutty characters or crave some judges’ banter, we’ll take you down memory lane to relive some classic moments and reflect on the show’s quirkiest of details.
It’s those said nutty characters which kick off our series. Contrary to widespread belief, these aren’t always bad – some finalists are remembered for making us all smile, cringe, or weep. Or a combination of the three! Let’s look at our favourites.
Lettice, the veg-titled, fun-loving posh girl, was a real highlight of series 8. Enchanting us with her snooty charm and humour, she seduced us further by unleashing a modern blend of violin, fiddling strings to stars such as OneRepublic and Imagine Dragons. Her banter with Ant, Dec and even Stephen Mulhern brought smiles to our faces.
Latvian comic Gatis Kandis made us despair for humanity…whilst making us collapse with laughter. His sheer awkwardness is a sight to behold – when asked how his material is devised, he drifted into a disturbing tale about looking at girls on the tube. Seemingly poor at English, the judges poked fun, with David complimenting his “hilarious jumper” and Simon likening his gags to “something you’d find in a Latvian cracker”.
Possibly the most memorable car-crash ever, singer Donald stalled straight-off, declaring to Simon Cowell that he’s only there to “entertain himself”. He then proceeded to tell us he’s 21 when asked what he does. Oops! When the crooning ensued, it was his custom to stop and appear horrified after every buzzer – Ant and Dec saved the day, cheering him on in the wings whenever a judge voiced their disapproval.
Loveable Phil was the second-best impressionist of series 7, lightening up the auditions with his nervous laugh and meme-worthy faces. He told of his friend “ChrisTIEE” who works at Barratts (“shoes”!), and looked like he desperately needed the loo during the post-performance chat. His imitations and their accompanying quips were outclassed that series, but his naturalness and fun keeps him firmly in the history books.
Who’s your favourite BGT personality? Let us know at @CelebMix. Stick around next week for another dose of Talent nostalgia!