An emotional Mark McMullan reached Britain’s Got Talent’s grand finale on Sunday after dedicating his performance to his brother Declan, earning a place alongside magician Ben Hart during Thursday’s edition of the live shows.
The singer got through after Simon Cowell chose to avoid picking who to win, sending the result to deadlock, as he asked to use the public vote to decide who would go through between Mark and comedian Graeme Matthews.
While the trickster impressed with his performance, where he chose to scale things down for his act following the success of his egg trick during his audition.
Britain’s Got Talent: Emotional Mark McMullan reached grand finale after dedicating his semi-final performance to his brother… as Magician Ben Hart’s impressive act also got him a place
Ben mystified with his act, as the trickster placed a cup and saucer on the judges panel and made a match disappear from his mouth and into the pack of matches that were in Alesha Dixon’s hands.
After mystifying the quartet, Simon gushed that Ben had a ‘star charisma around [him]’, which the other judges seconded as Alesha admitted his ‘showmanship was brilliant.’
While David Walliams said: ‘I just kept on thinking I could watch an hour of that, I can’t wait to see what you do with a long-form show.’
Mark, meanwhile, moved the judges and audience with his emotional rendition of You Will Be Found from the musical Dear Evan Hanson, which was dedicated to his brother Declan who has Locked-In Syndrome.
Trickster: Ben impressed with his performance, where he chose to scale things down for his act following the success of his egg trick during his audition
Moving: Mark got through by public vote after he moved the judges and audience with his emotional rendition of You Will Be Found from the musical Dear Evan Hanson
Ecstatic: Ben was left speechless after he learnt he was the winner of Thursday’s semi-final
Simon gushed about Mark’s ‘strength’ for coming onto the show and performing, as he said he was sure West End producers would want to have him as a leading man.
David then told him: ‘It was an amazing mixture of strength and vulnerability… that for me was the greatest high.’
While Alesha gushed: ‘It was a very poignant song but really uplifting, you touched all of us in the auditions and I’m genuinely really happy because you had a great moment here.’
Amanda Holden also told Mark that he was sure to ‘have won the hearts of the nation’, as she said she loved the ‘honesty’ of his story and his family.
K-Pop icons: BTS stepped out to perform their most recent record-breaking hit Boy With Luv
Grande finale: Ben and Mark join Kojo Anim, Siobhan Phillips, teen magic group 4MG, police and dog duo Dave and Finn, and energetic children’s choir Flakefleet Primary School
Comedian Graeme earned a place in the top three, following his hilarious act which saw him put judge Amanda through her paces.
After enlisting her help for his audition, Graeme decided to use her, but more specifically her shoe, once again as his volunteer.
The act saw him fake burning it to a crisp but it turned out the footwear was hidden inside a locked box, which left the judges in stitches.
Crediting his ‘likeability’ and ‘loveable’ nature, Amanda said he was ‘so naturally funny and so lovable as well, the moment you came up we were in the palm of your hand.’
Funnyman: Comedian Graeme earned a place in the top three, following his hilarious act which saw him put judge Amanda through her paces
Acrobatic duo A&J were on top form during the live show, as they performed a dangerous yet impressive show surrounded by a ring of fire.
Their performance saw A use his teeth to hold up J as they twirled and jumped in the air, which David claimed was ‘wonderful, beautiful, thrilling and very dangerous.’
Alesha told the pair: ‘It was beautifully dangerous, it was romantic, it was fluid, I loved everything about it.’
But when it was Simon’s turn to give his thoughts the judge burst into giggles as he tried to speak, and David stepped up to fake slap him to get him back to normal.
He then told them, whilst still laughing: ‘We were so close and it was dangerous and it made it more exciting.’
Stunning: Acrobatic duo A and J were on top form during the live show, as they performed a dangerous yet impressive show surrounded by a ring of fire
That wasn’t the only awkward experience that Simon was going to be put through during the show, as ventriloquist Jimmy Tamley made both him and David take part in his act.
The performer dubbed the music mogul Snuggly Simon, and, as Simon closed his eyes and shook his head in embarrassment during the set, Jimmy claimed that he liked Can-Can dancing before he prompted the pair to dance.
But as David dutifully began to dance, Simon stormed off in anger before later coming on stage and entering a box with David to end Jimmy’s performance.
Afterwards, Simon said: ‘When you see the credits and the producers names there and then you read about them being murdered in two days time I did it.’
While Amanda joked: ‘Why couldn’t you have just used Ant and Dec? Very awkward but very funny.’
Awkward: Ventriloquist Jimmy Tamley made Simon and David take part in his act, and dubbed the music mogul as Snuggly Simon and tried to make him do the can-can which he refused
Dance group Lil Icons opened the show with their hugely entertaining act which saw their members dance as renowned musicians like Freddie Mercury and Beyonce.
Performing to a mix-tape of their different iconic roles combined, the judges were left in awe as they praised the group for their energy.
Simon even claimed that the group of dancers were not only the ‘best opener [they’ve] had all week’ but also one of their ‘best finalists ever’ on the show.
Icons coming to life: Dance group Lil Icons opened the show with their hugely entertaining act which saw their members dance as renowned musicians like Freddie Mercury and Beyonce
13-year-old singer Kerr James wowed the judges with his rendition of Elton John’s Rocketman which showed off his ‘charisma and charm’ on the show.
Telling Kerr that he had chosen the perfect song, given the recent release of the true fantasy by Dexter Fletcher which stars Taron Egerton as the iconic musician.
Alesha gushed: ‘It’s such a clever song choice and lovely to see you step up from the auditions and playing on the piano, that’s so impressive, honestly, well done.’
Putting on a show: 13-year-old singer Kerr James wowed the judges with his rendition of Elton John’s Rocketman which showed off his ‘charisma and charm’ on the show
Harpist Ursula Burns failed to impress the judges with her performance, which saw her perform with two different harps but Simon buzzed her partway through.
As she finished, Ursula said ‘you buzzed me, he hated it!’
Simon candidly told her: ‘I don’t really know what to say, the last time I felt this way was New Years Eve, I drank a bottle of tequila and I felt like I was going out of my mind. I couldn’t make any sense of what was going on.’
While David argued: ‘The whole idea of it is that it was supposed to be bonkers and brilliant and that’s what was going on. I loved it, it was so so bananas.’
Britain’s Got Talent continues on Friday at 7:30 pm.
Quirky: Harpist Ursula Burns failed to impress the judges with her performance, which saw her perform with two different harps but Simon buzzed her partway through