Britain's Got Talent series 16

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Britain's Got Talent
Series 16
Presented by Ant & Dec
Judges Bruno Tonioli
Alesha Dixon
Amanda Holden
Simon Cowell
Winner Viggo Venn
Runner-upLillianna Clifton
Release
Original network ITV
Original release15 April (2023-04-15) 
4 June 2023 (2023-06-04)
Series chronology
 Previous
Series 15
Next 
Series 17
List of episodes

The sixteenth series of British talent competition programme Britain's Got Talent was broadcast on ITV, from 15 April to 4 June 2023. Following the previous series, David Walliams resigned from the programme in the wake of criticism to comments he had made of contestants during the 2020 series, [1] [2] leading to him being replaced by Bruno Tonioli in January 2023. [3] [4] [5] During auditions, Cowell allowed a change to the Golden Buzzer format, granting more being given than in previous series.

The sixteenth series was won by comedian Viggo Venn, with dancer Lillianna Clifton finishing in second place, and magician Cillian O’Connor placing third. During its broadcast, the series averaged 5.98 million viewers.

Series overview

Following the conclusion of the previous series, ITV announced that the show would return for a sixteenth series. [6] [7] However, David Walliams was facing an uncertain future with the programme after ten series, [8] after it emerged he was facing criticism for comments he had made of contestants that had been poorly received by viewers; Walliams later resigned when it became clear the criticism couldn't be ignored. [1] Because of his departure, ITV worked to find a replacement, and signed on former Strictly Come Dancing and current Dancing with the Stars judge Bruno Tonioli in January 2023 to join with Cowell and the other judges. [3] [9] [10]

Cowell also announced that month of a change in format, revealing that he had given the audience the right to call for a Golden Buzzer for a contestant they felt deserved it, noting that there had been no set rules regarding the buzzer format since it was first introduced. [11] Tonioli also gave an extra Golden Buzzer himself, but by accident after doing so halfway through a contestant's act; something which had never been done before within the Got Talent franchise itself. [12]

Judges and Presenter(s) for Britain's Got Talent Series 16

Color key:

  Winner |   Runner-up |   Third Place |   Semi-finalist
Playing card club A.svg Judges' Wildcard Finalist | Yellow ffff00 pog.svg Golden Buzzer Audition
ParticipantAge(s)GenreActSemi-finalFinished
Abi Carter-Simpson30Singing / MusicSinger & Ukulelist1Eliminated
Amy Lou34SingingSinger1Finalist
Andrew Stanton42DangerSword Swallower2Eliminated
Boycanto6–12SingingVocal Group4Eliminated
Cammy Barnes32Singing / MusicSinger & Guitarist5Eliminated
Chickenshed Yellow ffff00 pog.svg 5–37SingingChoir4Eliminated
Cillian O'Connor13MagicClose Up Magician5Third place
Duo Odyssey27 & 33AcrobaticsAerial Duo4Finalist
Dylan B12SingingSinger3Eliminated
Enzo Weyne33MagicMagician1Eliminated
Felix Clements24DanceDancer4Eliminated
Gamal John Yellow ffff00 pog.svg 36SingingSinger1Eliminated
Ghetto Kids Yellow ffff00 pog.svg 5–13DanceDance Group3Finalist
Harry Churchill11MusicGuitarist3Eliminated
Ichikawa Koikuchi42VarietyFlatulist1Eliminated
Johns' Boys14–73SingingChoir2Eliminated
Kimoon Do31MagicMagician4Eliminated
Lewis Fuller24Singing / MagicSinger/Magician2Eliminated
Lillianna Clifton13DanceDancer5Runner-Up
Malakai Bayoh Yellow ffff00 pog.svg 13SingingOpera Singer4Finalist
Markus Birdman52ComedyComedian3Eliminated
MB14 Yellow ffff00 pog.svg 28MusicBeatboxer4Eliminated
Miki Dark57Danger / MagicStunt Magician3Eliminated
Musa Motha Yellow ffff00 pog.svg 27DanceDancer1Finalist
Nathan & Joanne24 & 28DanceDance Duo2Eliminated
Noodle 1 24SingingSinger4Eliminated
Notorious8–16DanceDance Group3Eliminated
Nurse Georgie Carroll47ComedyComedian5Eliminated
Olivia Lynes Yellow ffff00 pog.svg 11SingingSinger2Finalist
Parkour Collective20–25AcrobaticsParkour Trio1Eliminated
Romeo & Icy20 & 21DanceDance Duo5Eliminated
The Pixiebelles6–9SingingTheatre Group5Eliminated
Tia Connolly15SingingSinger2Eliminated
Tonikaku Playing card club A.svg 41VarietyNovelty Act5Finalist
Toy Toy Toy26 & 34VarietyYo-Yo Duo3Eliminated
Travis George22SingingOpera Singer3Finalist
United 2 Dance9–11DanceDance Group1Eliminated
Unity Yellow ffff00 pog.svg 16–25DanceDance Group5Eliminated
Viggo Venn 33ComedyComedian2Winner
Yo Highness10–26DanceDance Group2Eliminated

Semi-finals summary

Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Buzzed out | Crystal Clear app clean.svg Judges' vote |   Won the Public's Vote |   Won the Judges' Vote
  Lost Judges' Vote |   Eliminated

Prior to the beginning of the live shows, the semi-finalists were decided following a deliberation stage at the London Palladium.

Semi-final 1 (29 May)

Semi-FinalistOrderBuzzes and judges' votesPercentageFinished [13]
CowellHoldenDixonTonioli
United 2 Dance14.3%6th – Eliminated
Gamal John24.1%7th – Eliminated
Ichikawa Koikuchi3 Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg 1.0%8th – Eliminated
Enzo Weyne410.0%4th – Eliminated
Parkour Collective57.5%5th – Eliminated
Abi Carter-Simpson6 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 16.6%3rd (Judges' Vote tied – Lost on Public Vote)
Amy Lou7 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 18.3%2nd (Judges' Vote tied – Won on Public Vote)
Musa Motha838.2%1st (Won Public Vote)

Semi-final 2 (30 May)

Semi-FinalistOrderBuzzes and judges' votesPercentageFinished [13]
CowellHoldenDixonTonioli
Yo Highness15.1%6th – Eliminated
Olivia Lynes2 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 16.4%2nd (Won Judges' Vote)
Nathan & Joanne37.2%4th – Eliminated
Lewis Fuller46.8%5th – Eliminated
Tia Connolly53.9%7th – Eliminated
Andrew Stanton63.6%8th – Eliminated
Johns' Boys7 Crystal Clear app clean.svg 13.3%3rd (Lost Judges' Vote)
Viggo Venn843.7%1st (Won Public Vote)

Semi-final 3 (31 May)

Guest performance: James Arthur ("A Year Ago")

Semi-FinalistOrderBuzzes and judges' votesPercentageFinished [13]
CowellHoldenDixonTonioli
Harry Churchill1 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 9.5%3rd (Judges' Vote tied – Lost on Public Vote)
Miki Dark25.1%7th – Eliminated
Travis George3 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 19.4%2nd (Judges' Vote tied – Won on Public Vote)
Notorious48.0%4th – Eliminated
Markus Birdman5 Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg 2.8%8th – Eliminated
Ghetto Kids639.7%1st (Won Public Vote)
Toy Toy Toy78.0%5th – Eliminated
Dylan B87.5%6th – Eliminated

Semi-final 4 (1 June)

Guest performance: Axel Blake

Semi-FinalistOrderBuzzes and judges' votesPercentageFinished [13]
CowellHoldenDixonTonioli
Noodle19.0%5th – Eliminated
Chickenshed28.6%6th – Eliminated
Kimoon Do3 Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg 2.8%8th – Eliminated
MB144 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 13.1%3rd (Judges' Vote tied – Lost on Public Vote)
Boycanto57.2%7th - Eliminated
Duo Odyssey6 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 21.8%2nd (Judges' Vote tied – Won on Public Vote)
Felix Clements710.0%4th – Eliminated
Malakai Bayoh827.5%1st (Won Public Vote)

Semi-final 5 (2 June)

Guest performance: The cast of The Wizard of Oz ("We're Off to See the Wizard"/"Over the Rainbow"/"If I Only Had a Brain"/"The Merry Old Land of Oz")

Semi-FinalistOrderBuzzes and judges' votesPercentageFinished [13]
CowellHoldenDixonTonioli
Romeo & Icy11.2%8th – Eliminated
Lillianna Clifton2 2 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 17.7%3rd (Won Judges' Vote)
Nurse Georgie Carroll35.9%6th – Eliminated
Cillian O'Connor429.4%1st (Won Public Vote)
The Pixiebelles54.4%7th – Eliminated
Cammy Barnes610.6%5th – Eliminated
Unity712.5%4th – Eliminated
Tonikaku818.3%2nd (Lost Judges' Vote) 3
  • ^2 Due to the majority vote for Lillianna Clifton, Cowell's voting intention was not revealed.
  • ^3 Tonikaku was later sent through to the final as the judges' wildcard.

Final (4 June)

Guest performance: Susan Boyle & the cast of Les Misérables ("I Dreamed a Dream"/"Finale")

FinalistOrderPercentageFinished [13]
Ghetto Kids110.1%6th
Olivia Lynes24.2%9th
Amy Lou35.8%7th
Tonikaku42.9%11th
Travis George54.4%8th
Duo Odyssey63.0%10th
Cillian O'Connor711.8%3rd
Lillianna Clifton813.1%2nd
Viggo Venn922.5%1st
Musa Motha1010.9%5th
Malakai Bayoh1111.3%4th

Ratings

EpisodeAir dateTotal viewers
(millions) [14]
ITV
Weekly rank [14]
Auditions 115 April7.101
Auditions 216 April6.422
Auditions 322 April7.321
Auditions 429 April6.491
Auditions 56 May6.635
Auditions 614 May5.703
Auditions 720 May5.961
Auditions 827 May5.921
Semi-Final 129 May5.582
Semi-Final 230 May5.383
Semi-Final 331 May5.005
Semi-Final 41 June4.806
Semi-Final 52 June5.044
Final4 June6.331

References

  1. 1 2 "David Walliams made 'disrespectful comments' about Britain's Got Talent contestants". BBC. 10 November 2022.
  2. Starkey, David (10 November 2022). "David Walliams apologises for "disrespectful" comments about 'Britain's Got Talent' contestants". NME . Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  3. 1 2 "David Walliams replaced by Bruno Tonioli as Britain's Got Talent judge". BBC News. 24 January 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  4. Davda, Rishi (13 April 2023). "Britain's Got Talent returns to screens with a judging shakeup". ITV News. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  5. "Why did Bruno Tonioli replace David Walliams on Britain's Got Talent?". 15 April 2023.
  6. "Britain's Got Talent 2023: Release date, judges, contestants and news". Radio Times.
  7. "Britain's Got Talent 2023: Everything you need to know about the new series of BGT". BBC. 11 April 2023.
  8. "David Walliams' future as Britain's Got Talent judge unclear ahead of final decision on panel". ITV News. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  9. "Former Strictly Come Dancing star Bruno Tonioli joins Britain's Got Talent as a brand new judge!". BBC. 25 January 2023.
  10. Ambrose, Tom (24 January 2023). "Bruno Tonioli to replace David Walliams as Britain's Got Talent judge". The Guardian.
  11. "Britain's Got Talent's Simon Cowell reveals he gave the audience an extra Golden Buzzer this year". Radio Times.
  12. "First Britain's Got Talent Golden Buzzer Act Confirmed After New Judge Bruno Tonioli Does Something Never Done Before".
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Britain's Got Talent 2023 voting percentages REVEALED!".
  14. 1 2 "BARB Weekly Top Programmes on Four Screens". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board.