Britain's Got Talent series 2

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Britain's Got Talent
Series 2
Hosted by Ant & Dec (ITV)
Stephen Mulhern (ITV2)
Judges Piers Morgan
Amanda Holden
Simon Cowell
Winner George Sampson
Runner-up Signature
Release
Original network ITV
ITV2 (BGMT)
Original release12 April (2008-04-12) 
31 May 2008 (2008-05-31)
Series chronology
 Previous
Series 1
Next 
Series 3
List of episodes
Judges and Presenter(s) for Britain's Got Talent Series 2
Ant and Dec in Cardiff Bay.jpg
Ant & Dec (ITV1)

The second series of British talent competition programme Britain's Got Talent was broadcast on ITV, from 12 April to 31 May 2008. Following the success of its first series, ITV commissioned the programme for additional episodes, with more venues used for auditions than in the previous series, and the number of semi-finalists, semi-final rounds, and finalists increased by production staff. Both the judges from the first series – Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan – and Ant & Dec returned to co-host the second series, along with Stephen Mulhern returning to front the second series of Britain's Got More Talent on ITV2.

The second series was won by street dancer George Sampson, [1] with dance duo Signature finishing in second place and opera singer Andrew Johnston third. During its broadcast, the series proved to be a greater ratings success, averaging 10.2 million viewers. [2] ITV was forced to defend the programme during its second series, after viewers criticised the involvement of a professional group in the contest.

Series overview

Following open auditions held the previous year, the Judge's Auditions took place early in 2008, within London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow and Blackpool. With the success of the previous series, the production team decided to expand the show's filming schedule to include more episodes. This led to the addition of two more episodes for auditions and two more live episodes for semi-finals, in turn leading to a direct increase in the number of semi-finalists that the judges could move beyond the auditions stage of the competition. Both the judges and the presenters who took part in the first series agreed to return for the second series, leading to no significant changes in the panel or hosts.

Of the participants that took part, only forty made it past this stage and into the five live semi-finals, [3] with eight appearing in each one, and ten of these acts making it into the live final. The following below lists the results of each participant's overall performance in this series:

Key:   Winner |   Runner-Up |   Finalist |   Semi-finalist

ParticipantAge(s) 1 GenrePerformance TypeSemi-FinalResult
Andrew Johnston 13SingingBoy Soprano2Third Place
Andrew Muir24SingingSinger4Finalist
Anya Sparks42DanceDancer5Eliminated
Bang On!34 & 27MusicPercussion Duo2Eliminated
Boogie Babes8–12DanceDance Group4Eliminated
Boogie Wonderland12–21DanceDance Group1Eliminated
Caburlesque22-26DanceCabaret & Burlesque Dance Group5Eliminated
Charlie Green 10SingingSinger3Eliminated
Charlie Wernham 13ComedyStand Up Comedian4Eliminated
Cheeky Monkeys8 & 9DanceJunior Dance Duo2Finalist
Craig Harper35Singing / ComedyVocal Impressionist5Eliminated
Dean Wilson 18SingingMusical Theatre Singer1Eliminated
Deans of Magic46 & 38MagicErotic Magic Duo3Eliminated
Diva Las Vegas20-48Singing / DanceSinger & Dance Group5Eliminated
Escala 23–26MusicString Quartet5Finalist
Faryl Smith 12SingingSinger4Finalist
Flava17–28DanceHip Hop Dance Group2Eliminated
George Sampson 14DanceBreakdancer3Winner
Harlequin Stage School8–13DanceIrish Dance Group4Eliminated
Hoop La La22, 23 & 24VarietyHula Hoop Trio3Eliminated
Iona Luvsandorj27AcrobaticsContortionist2Eliminated
Irresistible21–23SingingSinging Trio3Eliminated
James Stone52SingingSinger4Eliminated
Jeremy Lynch 20VarietyFootball Freestyler4Eliminated
Kate & Gin 16 & 6 2 AnimalsDog Act1Finalist
Kay & Harvey56 & 71Singing / MusicSinger & Keyboardist2Eliminated
Madonna Decena32SingingSinger5Eliminated
Mandy Ellen Dancers10–24DanceDance Group2Eliminated
Mary Halford March6–9DanceDance Group3Eliminated
Michael Machell57MusicKeyboardist1Eliminated
Nemesis 18–22 Dance Hip Hop Dance Group5Finalist
Per Diem24 & 23Singing / MusicSinging & Guitarist Duo5Eliminated
Phil Blackmore34DangerBalancer & Juggler1Eliminated
Sauris Nandi64MagicMagician2Eliminated
Signature 29 & 34DanceBhangra Dance Duo1Runner-Up
Sophie Mei20DanceBelly Dancer1Eliminated
Strike22 & 19VarietyMartial Arts Duo3Finalist
Tracey Lee Collins44SingingDrag Singer1Eliminated
Urban Gypsies35–50DanceBelly Dance Group3Eliminated
Vizage34 & 30Singing / MagicSinger & Quick Change Duo4Eliminated

Semi-final summary

Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Buzzed out | Crystal Clear app clean.svg Judges' vote |   Advanced – Public Vote
  Advanced – Judges' Vote |   Eliminated – Judges' Vote |   Eliminated

Semi-final 1 (26 May)

Semi-FinalistOrderPerformance TypeBuzzes and Judges' VoteResult
CowellHoldenMorgan
Boogie Wonderland1Dance GroupEliminated
Kate & Gin2Dog Act Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg Advanced (Won Judges' Vote)
Michael Machell3Keyboardist Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Eliminated
Dean Wilson4Musical Theatre Singer Crystal Clear app clean.svg Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote)
Sophie Mei5Belly DancerEliminated
Tracey Lee Collins6Drag Singer Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Eliminated
Phil Blackmore7Balancer & Juggler Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Eliminated
Signature8Bhangra Dance DuoAdvanced (Won Public Vote)

Semi-final 2 (27 May)

Semi-FinalistOrderPerformance TypeBuzzes and Judges' VoteResult
CowellHoldenMorgan
Mandy Ellen Dancers1Dance GroupEliminated
Iona Luvsandorj2ContortionistEliminated
Cheeky Monkeys3Dance Duo Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg Advanced (Won Judges' Vote)
Kay & Harvey4Opera Singer & Keyboardist Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Eliminated
Bang On!5Percussion Duo Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Eliminated
Flava6Hip Hop Dance Duo Crystal Clear app clean.svg Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote)
Sauris Nandi7Magician Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Eliminated
Andrew Johnston8Boy SopranoAdvanced (Won Public Vote)

Semi-final 3 (28 May)

Semi-FinalistOrderPerformance TypeBuzzes and Judges' VoteResult
CowellHoldenMorgan
Irresistible1Singing TrioEliminated
Strike2Martial Arts Duo Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg Advanced (Won Judges' Vote)
Mary Halford March3Dance Group Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Eliminated
The Deans of Magic4Erotic Magic Duo Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Eliminated
Charlie Green5Singer Crystal Clear app clean.svg Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote)
Urban Gypsies6Belly Dance Group Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Eliminated
Hoop La La7Hula Hoop TrioEliminated
George Sampson8BreakdancerAdvanced (Won Public Vote)

Semi-final 4 (29 May)

Semi-FinalistOrderPerformance TypeBuzzes and Judges' VoteResult
CowellHoldenMorgan
James Stone1SingerEliminated
Charlie Wernham2Stand Up ComedianEliminated
Harlequin Stage School3Irish Dance GroupEliminated
Andrew Muir4Singer Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg Advanced (Won Judges' Vote)
The Boogie Babes5Dance GroupEliminated
Vizage6Singer & Quick Change Duo Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg 3 Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Eliminated
Jeremy Lynch7Football Freestyler Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote)
Faryl Smith8SingerAdvanced (Won Public Vote)
  • ^3 Cowell pressed Holden's buzzer during Vizage's performance.

Semi-final 5 (30 May)

Semi-FinalistOrderPerformance TypeBuzzes and Judges' VoteResult
CowellHoldenMorgan
Caburlesque1Cabaret & Burlesque Dance GroupEliminated
Madonna Decena2SingerEliminated
Anya Sparks3DancerEliminated
Craig Harper4Vocal Impressionist Crystal Clear app clean.svg Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote)
Diva Las Vegas5Singer & Dance Group Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Eliminated
Nemesis6Hip Hop Dance Group Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg Advanced (Won Judges' Vote)
Per Diem7Singing & Guitarist Duo Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Eliminated
Escala8String QuartetAdvanced (Won Public Vote)

Final (31 May)

  Winner |   Runner-up
FinalistOrderPerformance TypeFinished 4
Cheeky Monkeys1Dance DuoFinalist
Andrew Muir2SingerFinalist
Kate & Gin3Dog ActFinalist
Nemesis4Hip Hop Dance GroupFinalist
Strike5Martial Arts DuoFinalist
Andrew Johnston6Boy Soprano3rd
George Sampson7Breakdancer1st
Faryl Smith8SingerFinalist
Escala9String QuartetFinalist
Signature10Bhangra Dance Duo2nd

Ratings

EpisodeAir DateTotal Viewers
(millions) [4]
ITV 1
Weekly rank [4]
Viewer Share
Auditions 112 April9.44637.0% [5]
Auditions 219 April10.96143.3% [6]
Auditions 326 April9.86341.3% [7]
Auditions 43 May9.12539.1% [8]
Auditions 510 May8.17637.9% [9]
Auditions 617 May9.11237.5% [10]
Auditions 724 May8.27537.2% [11]
Semi-final 126 May11.33442.0% [12]
Semi-final 227 May9.29935.3% [13]
Semi-final 328 May10.03635.9% [14]
Semi-final 429 May10.13541.9% [15]
Semi-final 530 May11.86250.0% [16]
Live final31 May11.52351.1% [17]
Live final results13.88155.1% [17]

Criticism

The second series of Britain's Got Talent faced criticism for the involvement of professional performers in the contest. Media outlets revealed evidence that the group Escala, who took part in the contest in 2008, had previously been involved as guest performers for a wrap party on The X Factor in 2007. ITV refuted allegations that this was unfair conduct against other participants, by arguing that the programme's researchers applied the same process and treatment to everyone who auditioned, and that the contest was open to anyone regardless of their experience with the talent they chose to perform with. [18]

References

  1. "Breakdancer wins TV talent contest". The Press Association. Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
  2. "Reality TV hurts too much – WalesOnline". Icwales.icnetwork.co.uk. 31 May 2008.
  3. Top 40 Acts Archived 29 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  4. 1 2 "Weekly Top 30 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board . Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  5. Brook, Stephen (14 April 2008). "Britain's Got Talent back with 8.8m". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  6. Brook, Stephen (21 April 2008). "Ratings soar for Britain's Got Talent". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  7. Reevell, Philip (30 April 2008). "International formats bolster ITV weekend". Broadcastnow.co.uk.
  8. Holmwood, Leigh (6 May 2008). "Talent shines but viewers head outdoors". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  9. Holmwood, Leigh (12 May 2008). "Talent sizzles as heat hits ratings". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  10. Fitzsimmons, Caitlin (19 May 2008). "FA Cup final scores a ratings victory". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  11. Fitzsimmons, Caitlin (27 May 2008). "TV ratings: 7.1m UK viewers tune in to Eurovision". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  12. Holmwood, Leigh (27 May 2008). "TV ratings: Britain's Got Talent dances off with honours". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  13. Rogers, Jon (28 May 2008). "ITV1 delivers masterclass to The Apprentice". Broadcastnow.co.uk.
  14. Rogers, Jon (29 May 2008). "2.8m get the Mary Whitehouse experience". Broadcastnow.co.uk.
  15. Rogers, Jon (30 May 2008). "Thursday peaktime blues for BBC1". Broadcastnow.co.uk.
  16. Dowell, Ben (2 June 2008). "TV ratings: Britain's Got Talent semi-final shines for ITV". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  17. 1 2 "Britain's Got Talent wins ratings war – Showbiz – News – Manchester Evening News". Manchestereveningnews.co.uk. 18 April 2010. Archived from the original on 21 August 2008.
  18. Scala Are Bunch Of Real Pros Archived 1 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine