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BGT judge Ashley Banjo would do BLM dance "100 times over"

From Digital Spy

Britain's Got Talent judge Ashley Banjo has told his fans that he has absolutely no regrets about Diversity's Black Lives Matter dance routine.

The former BGT contestants joined the guest judge on the ITV show earlier this month to perform a moving dance number that referenced police brutality, institutional racism and the killing of George Floyd.

It has since been cleared by broadcasting regulator Ofcom following some complaints by viewers because regulators found the routine to be "a call for social unity".

Sharing a screengrab of Ofcom's announcement, Banjo wrote on Instagram on Thursday (September 17): "Creativity is always a leap of faith.

Photo credit: Dymond/Thames/Syco/Shutterstock
Photo credit: Dymond/Thames/Syco/Shutterstock

Related: Diversity's Jordan Banjo hits back at "horrible" comments after BGT performance

"All I did what was what felt right and I'd do it 100 times over... Sending love to everyone that stood by us."

The performance has received praise from fellow judge Alesha Dixon, who has shared that she was deeply moved by the topical nature of the Diversity dance.

"On the day of the performance, the camera didn't actually pan to the judges and I was sitting there in floods of tears," she told The Mirror this week.

"I had this overwhelming feeling of 'Wow I can't believe I am watching this on BGT'. It felt really important."

Photo credit: Tom Dymond/Syco/Thames - ITV
Photo credit: Tom Dymond/Syco/Thames - ITV

Related: Britain's Got Talent receives 90 complaints over comedian's jokes

ITV is standing behind Diversity by praising the group's "authentic, heartfelt response to many of the issues and events which have affected society in 2020".

"Britain's Got Talent has always been an inclusive show, which showcases diversity and supports strong storytelling in all forms and ITV stands behind the decision to broadcast Diversity's performance on BGT," ITV has said.

The Britain's Got Talent semi-finals continue on Saturday evenings on ITV.


For more information on how you can support Black Lives Matter, please visit its official website or donate here. Readers can also donate to the UK anti-discrimination group Stand Up To Racism, and the Unite Families & Friends Campaign, which supports those affected by deaths in police, prison and psychiatric custody.


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