Kibworth teen bags ITV1 Britain's Got Talent semi-final place with Golden Buzzer routine

A Leicestershire teenager had the “best day of his life” after bagging a coveted Britain’s Got Talent Golden Buzzer. Charlie Cufflin and his fellow dancers had only rehearsed three times before taking to the stage for the ITV1 show.

Charlie, 13, from Kibworth, was among the Phoenix Boys dance group who wowed millions at home on Saturday (May 18) as they auditioned for a place in the next round of Britain’s Got Talent. However, the group’s performance - a balletic routine to Eurovision star Sam Ryder’s hit ‘Tiny Riot’, impressed even more than they had had hoped, with judge Bruno Toniolo slamming - and breaking - the show’s Golden Buzzer to secure them a place in the live semi-finals.

The group, which includes boys from across the country, had only rehearsed three times before their audition with Bruno bowled over with emotion. He said: “I know how hard it is what you do. People don't really understand how hard it is to succeed as a dancer. The work that goes into it and the passion and literally you do it for nothing, you do it for love and I felt that.”

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Charlie, who is the only Leicestershire boy in the group, has a long-standing love of dance. He trains at the Caroline Carr Dance Studios in Kibworth whenever he is home after he landed a scholarship place at The Hammond dance school in Chester.

The teenager and his fellow Phoenix Boys dancers can’t regularly train together due to being all over the country, with the group able to come together just once a month at weekends. It made their audition especially nerve-wracking as they’d only managed handful of run-throughs before taking to the London Palladium stage in January.

Charlie’s mum Vicky was there as her son bagged the Golden Buzzer and is still shocked now. Speaking to LeicestershireLive, she said: “It was a wonderful experience and to be there as it happened was special. Charlie said he had the best day of his life and we had an amazing day too.”

The epic routine led to an emotional reaction from former Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno who praised the Phoenix Boys’ truthful performance. He said: “What touches people is when you really perform from your heart. That's really what remains in people's hearts and minds and you touched me and I think you touched everybody watching.”

In Kibworth, family and friends came to watch with Vicky and Charlie only knowing he had auditioned for the show. The Golden Buzzer moment was a surprise the family revelled in finally revealing.

Vicky said: “Of course [Charlie] just wanted to get through but to get the Golden Buzzer was amazing. It’s been the hardest secret we’ve had to keep so it’s great that we can now talk about it. We had a BBQ and everyone’s face when he got the buzzer was amazing.”

Now, the Phoenix Boys’ fate lies solely with the public ahead of their live-semi-final performance later this month. Vicky said: “We just hope to get as many votes as possible now. It would be brilliant for the boys to get the public’s support and help support Charlie and get behind our Leicester boy.”

Britain’s Got Talent continues this Saturday (May 25) at 7.30pm on ITV1. Stream previous episodes, including the Phoenix Boys’ audition, on ITVX.