Simon Cowell disappears during magic trick on Britain's Got Talent

Britains Got Talent 2024 auditions  London
-Credit: (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)


Simon Cowell seemingly vanished during the finale of a magic trick on Britain's Got Talent.

The ITV talent show made its comeback on Saturday, featuring judges Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli, along with hosts Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.

The final act, Magicians Assemble, comprised of former Britain's Got Talent stars Ben Hart, Colin Cloud and Elizabeth The Haunting, who have previously appeared on the series, claimed to have travelled from the future.

Completing each other's sentences, the trio informed the judges and audience in Manchester that they had "found a journal" which allowed them to enter "someone's memory" during the episode. They then executed tricks such as transforming liquid into sand, before the substance started pouring onto the stage and teenage magician and 2020 Britain's Got Talent finalist Aidan McCann was summoned to join the other illusionists.

Aidan proceeded to shave off Ben's hair in front of the audience, revealing a number identical to one the judges had generated earlier using dice. Colin invited Cowell on stage, assuring him he was "completely safe" before blindfolding him.

Ben then hurled a sandglass and Simon disappeared, leaving only confetti paper streams behind. Holden and Tonioli questioned "where is Simon? " before Cowell's voice echoed the same query, setting the scene for Sunday's episode.

Elsewhere, 61 year old property manager Kimberley Cross didn't manage to impress all the judges with her rendition of Pink's 'Get The Party Started', donned in a gold cape and a glittery tiara that shot out sparks.

Bruno Tonioli, however, found charm in the performance, remarking: "It was so bad that I loved it, it's yes from me."

Robert Statham, a 59 year old librarian from Derby, took to the stage with a rap about his day job, complete with a line "everybody in the house shush" and a playful book drop instead of the traditional mic drop.

Alesha Dixon commented, "I quite enjoyed it but I don't know if I want to hear it again."

Despite Declan Donnelly's silent pleas, Dixon gave Robert her vote, allowing him to advance to the next round.

Also securing a spot in the following round was Kevin Finn, a 30 year old Canadian comedian living in Warrington, who entertained with jokes about Tesco and impersonations of UK accents, as well as 29 year old charity fundraiser Ace Clurk, whose performance was interrupted by Simon Cowell.

After switching his song to Billie Eilish's 'Lovely', Ace moved the audience, with Amanda Holden praising his "vocal range was insane".

Joining them in the next phase were shadow artist and illusionist Matteo Fraziano, a 22 year old from Rome, Italy, who crafted silhouettes of Elvis Presley, Eminem, and ET The Extra-Terrestrial, and Chantaaaal, a 33 year old recorder-playing drag queen who performed Celine Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On' while referencing the Titanic with their costume.

Ukrainian married pair and roller-skaters Vlada Kamyshnikova and Yevhenii Yemelianenko, better known as Stardust, are not newcomers to the talent show circuit, having previously secured Golden buzzer status on Lithuania Got Talent and been finalists on Ukraine's Got Talent.

Delighted with their performance, Holden expressed: "This show is always about raising the levels every single year and I'm going to say it, you did and it was insane,".

The pairing were honoured with a golden buzzer by Cowell, who enthused how "fantastic" their acrobatics were, gratefully telling them "thank you so much".

It has been confirmed that Britain's Got Talent will be back on screens again this Sunday at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

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