Tonight’s Britain’s Got Talent first live show was fantastic. Entertainment just as it should be.

To sum it up quickly, Michael the Star Wars keyboard player was crap, Tracy Lee Collins the singer turned drag queen was also unimpressive. Boogie Wonderland’s routine with the actual car and Union Jack was fun but not amazing, the bellydancer was pretty and sexy but not the best dancer I’ve ever seen and the juggler was just a bit blah.

I loved Signature, the Michael Jackson dance act, they were just so original. Kate and Gin were also great, and though I couldn’t agree with Piers that Gin is the most talented dog in the world, she is certainly very talented. Dean Wilson sang a West Side Story track, he was passionate and believable and though I liked his voice, I saw better singers turned away from BBC’s Jospeh show last year. Read more & comment »

If you are watching the Britain’s Got Talent first semi final tonight, why not jump on over to our forum and join us for a chat about the acts and who you think should survive!

Come on! We’re having so much fun!

Britain’s Got Talent judge, Amanda Holden, has revealed that she would love a non singing act to win the show this year.

“I have to say that two of the strongest acts this year are singers - and child singers at that - but I’d love a non-singer to win the show,” Amanda told the Daily Star. “Paul Potts set the bar last year but I’d like the show to prove that it can deliver a great British variety act.”

Amanda added that she intends to stay on the show for as long as it runs….. Read more & comment »

Phil has worked in the entertainment business all his life. Ever since he was a kid he dreamed of being a world class entertainer. It started off with him wanting to be a clown then it progressed into experimenting with magic. In his teenage years Phil attended a juggling workshop every week- his love for juggling then stayed with him for the rest of his life.

Phil worked as a redcoat and entertained residents at old people’s homes for many years. He then went on to become a street entertainer at Chessington. Read more & comment »

Tracy started singing in his mid-twenties. He did some drama, joined a barbershop quartet and later did the working men’s club circuit in a duo called ‘Free and Easy’ with his good friend Liz for two years.

Tracy has not performed for years but loves singing and believes it is what he is meant to do. His dream is to do musicals (would love to play Michael Ball’s character in ‘Hairspray’) or to release records although he says he ‘doesn’t dare to hope’. Read more & comment »

Sophie started belly dancing when she was 14, she had been to dance school and loved it but felt that no styles suited her until she discovered belly dancing, which she felt suited her “curves” and then she says she became a bit obsessed. She has recently completed a teacher training course and now does private belly dancing lessons as well as the occasional workshops at charity events as well as performing regularly in local restaurants. Sophie feels that belly dancing is sometimes stereotyped and seen as a form of lap dancing/stripping and she wants to prove that it is actually a classy form of dancing. Sophie is a student at Manchester University where she is studying Philosophy and Italian. Read more & comment »

In September 2002, ‘believe it or not’, Michael knew nothing about music although he had always been interested in it. He went to college and has stuck at it over the last five years – he now has his grade five theory of music, grade one piano and a national diploma in music! He has entered the Pontins National Star Quest competition and the Festival for Stars talent contest in Liverpool for several years running.
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Craig started entertaining when he was eight, busking in the fish and chip shop where his mum used to work. In 1999 he became a full time entertainer touring holiday parks and clubs around the country. Craig’s ultimate ambition is to have a sell out theatre tour and to host a TV game show, like his heroes Joe Pasquele and Lee Evans. Craig lives outside Leeds with his wife and two children aged 10 and 14. His Gran inspired him to go into entertaining always giving him encouragement and support from an early age. It was her dream to see him perform on the Royal Variety but sadly she passed away last year. Read more & comment »

Craig started entertaining when he was eight, busking in the fish and chip shop where his mum used to work. In 1999 he became a full time entertainer touring holiday parks and clubs around the country. Craig’s ultimate ambition is to have a sell out theatre tour and to host a TV game show, like his heroes Joe Pasquele and Lee Evans. Craig lives outside Leeds with his wife and two children aged 10 and 14. His Gran inspired him to go into entertaining always giving him encouragement and support from an early age. It was her dream to see him perform on the Royal Variety but sadly she passed away last year. Read more & comment »

Charlie and Krista have been dancing together for the last 12 months after meeting at a local dance school. Charlie’s Mum says as a baby “Charlie could never keep still and he was always wriggling and dancing along to the radio”. After initially trying out dancing lessons for a bit of fun Charlie has not looked back and now competes at a National level.

Krista started dancing at 4, and was introduced to Charlie by her dance teacher, after hitting it off the pair have been competing together and have won every competition they have entered together. As a duo they are Rock and Roll champions and Krista is also a solo Rock and Roll champion. Read more & comment »

Charlie has been doing his stand up comedy act since the age of eight. He won his first talent show at eight and then went on to win three more contests. Charlie’s parents are very supportive and his Dad, Dave, helps him write his jokes and structure the routine. Charlie’s favourite comedians are Joe Pasqualli, Peter Kay and Lee Evans. He lives at home with his mum Elaine, dad, Dave and little sister Libby. Charlie lost his Gran last July which he found really hard as they were very close. After missing his first audition he thought his Got Talent dream was lost so he put on his Nan’s necklace (his good luck charm) and asked his Nan to help him get another audition. Charlie’s Mum then received a call from the show whilst they were visiting her grave. Read more & comment »

Jeremy played for Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur youth as a teenager but was dropped from the squads. He saw a Nike advert with a football free-styler on it on television when he was twelve years old and he loved it and spent hours trying to re-create it in his back garden. He can now do 500 tricks. He competes in freestyle competitions and normally does pretty well. He entered a freestyle competition to be in a NIKE advert in 2002, which is where he met his former partner, Mike. Read more & comment »

Sam was first introduced to magic when his parents bought him a magic set as a child. He started off learning close up magic experimenting with making his own props with help from his father, whilst studying at college. After college Sam worked on cruise ships as a kid’s magician and then worked at holiday camps for a couple of years until he was offered a job working with a travelling circus, where he met Vicki. Sam was the ringmaster and Vicki was a dancer.

Vicki has always been a keen dancer and started when she was two years old. After college Vicki decided to take the plunge and try to work as a professional dancer. She the toured with a dance group called the Funky Feathers and then moved onto dancing for the circus where she first met Sam.

The two immediately clicked and Sam asked Vicki to help him with a prop he was trying out at the circus, she refused because she didn’t want to be just another ‘glamorous magician’s assistant’. About a year into them working together Sam and Vicki starting dating and Sam was desperate for Vicki to be part of his act and work as his assistant but she refused and said that she wanted Sam to get to know her first. Read more & comment »

James started singing when he was 14 years old. He’s always had a passion for performing ever since he was a child and performed in front of his family. He’s totally self taught, and prides himself in spreading good vibrations through his music.

The first time James took his talent seriously was when he entered a competition at the age of 18 called ‘Bailey’s Top Talent’. He was given the stage name of ‘Tony Ricardo’ for the competition and then went on to gig around the UK under the same name. Read more & comment »

Boogie Wonderland are from the Mary Halford dance school in Liverpool (they are part of the same dance school as the Mary Halford March also through to the semi finals). They have been performing their routine for the last two years after it was put together for a dance competition in 2007 where they won the national finals. In order to fund the costumes and travel costs for their first Britain’s Got Talent auditions they organised various fundraising activities. Mary Halford, who started the school 20 years ago feels that the classes are really beneficial to the local community as it gives the kids something to do in the evenings, keeping them off the streets. Recently their local council gave them a grant of £2000 towards the running of the school in recognition of this. Boogie Wonderland would love the opportunity to perform in front of the Royal Family but their group really wants to show young people in a positive light as opposed to the negative stereotypes that regularly appear in the media. Read more & comment »