Right until the very end of Friday’s show, I was convinced another singer was going to win Britain’s Got Talent.
Faryl Smith and Andrew Johnston are so good that it seemed impossible to imagine a mini Paul Potts not running off with the Royal Variety prize - unless George Sampson produced something even better than his Singing in the Rain performance, that is.
But then came Escala, with what I think was the best performance by any act in the semi-final week. It was, quite literally, red hot – with the only thing more electrifying than those blazing turrets of fire being the girls’ dresses and their extraordinary silver string instruments.
They’re slick, professional, incredibly talented, and beautiful. Which makes them a marketing dream. But they’re also very nice, modest girls, who have worked unbelievably hard to get to this point. There is no sob story with Escala, but that should not diminish their chances of winning. The show, at this stage, is only about one thing now: talent.
It was a very moving, emotional, roller-coaster of an evening. Madonna crying for her two little girls, and Per Diem crying at the sudden realisation that the dream was over.
Craig Harper was desperately unlucky not to get to the final. He stands for every old-fashioned variety act in Britain, and is genuinely funny. For 25 years he’s nurtured a desire to hit the big time, and to get so close only to fall at the final hurdle was a bitter blow for him. But how gracious was he in defeat? A true gentleman.
Per Diem, much as I felt sorry for them, could take a few lessons from Craig in how to deal with failure.
Tonight’s final is going to be sensational. There is miles more talent than last year, and the winner could come from any one of six or seven acts. Don’t rule out Gin the wonderdog, Signature and their crazy Jacko routine, or Nemesis if they turn on the ‘wicked’ dancing heat like they did last night.
Britain’s definitely got talent, and we’re going to see some of the very best of it tonight. I can’t wait!
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