Britain's Got Talent series 5

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Britain's Got Talent
Series 5
Hosted by Ant & Dec (ITV)
Stephen Mulhern (ITV2)
Judges David Hasselhoff
Michael McIntyre
Amanda Holden
Simon Cowell (live shows)
Louis Walsh (London auditions)
Winner Jai McDowall
Runner-up Ronan Parke
Release
Original network ITV
ITV2 (BGMT)
Original release16 April (2011-04-16) 
4 June 2011 (2011-06-04)
Series chronology
 Previous
Series 4
Next 
Series 6
List of episodes
Judges and Presenter(s) for Britain's Got Talent Series 5

The fifth series of British talent competition programme Britain's Got Talent was broadcast on ITV, from 16 April to 4 June 2011; due to live coverage of the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final on 28 May, the final audition episode of the series was pushed back a day to avoid clashing with it. As Piers Morgan had departed from the programme the previous year, and the schedule of Simon Cowell made him unable to attend auditions, [1] the producers arranged for Amanda Holden to be joined by David Hasselhoff and Michael McIntyre on the judging panel. [2] Due to Hasselhoff's schedule during filming of the auditions, Louis Walsh stepped in as a guest judge for the sessions he could not attend. [3]

This series saw the judging panel expanded to four judges for the first time in the programme's history, albeit for the live episodes – Cowell chose not to have either replacement drop out when he returned to attend the remainder of the contest. Because of this decision, the rules for the judges' vote had to be amended so that the public vote could be used to deal with a tied vote amongst the panel between the 2nd and 3rd placed semi-finalists of a semi-final. Apart from the change in format for the live rounds, the programme's studio used for live episodes was given a considerable revamp for the new series. [4]

The fifth series was won by singer Jai McDowall, with singer Ronan Parke finishing in second place and boyband New Bounce third. During its broadcast, the series averaged around 10.9 million viewers, and was the first in the show's history to be aired in high definition. In an interview made after the series' broadcast, hosts Ant & Dec marked the fifth series as a poor one for the show because of the low quality of some of the participants that took part. [5] During the broadcast of the fifth series, the programme faced accusations of unfair treatment to participants, while the producers had to bring in police to investigate a suspected act of online bullying against one of the semi-finalists during production.

Series overview

David Hasselhof at re-publica May 2014 (cropped).jpg
Michael McIntyre - Soho Theatre - Monday 15th May 2017 McIntyreSoho150517-10 (34683587845) (cropped).jpg
Both Hasselhoff and McIntyre took part in the fifth series as judges, the former having been a judge on America's Got Talent

Following open auditions held the previous year, the Judges' auditions took place across January and February 2011, within London, Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff, Liverpool and Birmingham; an additional round of auditions were held in Birmingham on 3 April, consisting of those found through their online videos on YouTube. [6] [7] In December 2010, Simon Cowell revealed that, because of his commitments in launching the American version of The X Factor , he would only be present for the live episodes of this series. [1] Both this announcement, and the departure of Piers Morgan the previous year, led to a change in the judging panel, in which Amanda Holden was joined by two new judges recruited by the producers – comedian Michael McIntyre; and actor David Hasselhoff, who had previously worked as a judge on America's Got Talent . [2] Owing to his work schedule in 2011, Hasselhoff was forced to miss the London auditions, leading to Louis Walsh standing in for him as a guest judge.

Prior to filming, plans had been made to incorporate an element from the format of The X Factor , in which auditions would be attended by a guest judge for each one; [8] such a format addition was later made for America's Got Talent in 2015. However, the format change was never made by the production team, for unknown reasons. For the first time in the show's history, after the auditions were over, some of the acts found themselves having to perform again, due to the judges facing some difficulty in making a final decision on whom to send through into the live semi-finals. [9]

Of the participants that took part, only forty-one made it past this stage and into the five live semi-finals, [10] with eight appearing in the first four and nine in the final semi-final, and ten of these acts making it into the live final. Because the live episodes now featured four judges, the rule on the judges' votes was modified as a result – if the judges were split over which two acts would follow the winner of the public vote, the decision would be made by which had received the second highest number of public votes. The following below lists the results of each participant's overall performance in this series:

  Winner |   Runner-Up |   Finalist |   Semi-Finalist
ParticipantAge(s) 1 GenreActSemi-finalResult
Abyss17–28DanceDance Group3Eliminated
Angela & Teddy64 & 12 2 AnimalsDog Act3Eliminated
Antonio Popeye47VarietyEye Popper5Eliminated
Bruce Sistaz19 & 27AcrobaticsMartial Arts Duo1Eliminated
Dance Angels Elite8–24DanceDance Group4Eliminated
David & Karen39 & 27MagicMagic Duo2Eliminated
Donelda Guy66 3 AnimalsDog Act1Eliminated
Edward Reid35Comedy / SingingComic Singer4Eliminated
Enchantment17–51AcrobaticsCircus Group2Eliminated
Follow the Right Path14 & 13SingingRap Duo5Eliminated
Gay & Alan56 & 59MusicHandbell Players3Eliminated
Girls Roc22–25DanceFire Dance Group1Eliminated
Herbie Armstrong 66Singing / MusicSinger & Guitarist2Eliminated
Jai McDowall 24SingingSinger4Winner
James Hobley11DanceContemporary Dancer3Finalist
Jay Worley17SingingSinger3Eliminated
Jean Martyn59MusicOrganist2Finalist
Jessica Hobson19Singing / MusicSinger & Pianist4Eliminated
Joe Oakley19DangerTrial Bike Rider1Eliminated
Les Gibson41ComedyImpressionist3Finalist
Lorna Bliss32Singing Britney Spears Impersonator2Eliminated
Marawa 28VarietyHula Hoop Artist5Eliminated
Mexican Mayhem59, 4 & 3 2 AnimalsDog Act4Eliminated
Michael Collings19Singing / MusicSinger & Guitarist5Finalist
Michael Moral 5 21DanceBreakdancer5Eliminated
Mr. & Mrs.44 & 55Singing / MusicSinging Duo & Keyboardist5Eliminated
Nathan Wyburn 21VarietyVisual Artist4Eliminated
New Bounce12–16SingingBoy Band2Third Place
Out of the Blue 18–22SingingA Cappella Group4Eliminated
Paul Gbegbaje19MusicPianist1Finalist
Pip & Puppy20 & 6 months 2 Singing / AnimalsOpera Singer & Dog Act5Eliminated
Razy Gogonea28DanceBreakdancer5Finalist
Ronan Parke 12SingingSinger1Runner-Up
Steven Hall53Comedy / DanceComic Dancer4Finalist
Stuart Arnold48Singing / ComedyRapping Terminator Impersonator1Eliminated
Ted & Grace92 & 21SingingSinging Duo1Eliminated
The Celtic Colleens8–30DanceBlacklight Dance Group5Eliminated
The Circus of Horrors 18–54AcrobaticsCircus Group3Eliminated
Two and a Half Men26–28DanceDance Trio2Eliminated
Up & Over It31 & 31DanceTable Based Dance Duo2Eliminated
Wachiraporn Tirpak27VarietyEntertainer3Eliminated

Semi-finals summary

Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Buzzed out | Crystal Clear app clean.svg Judges' vote |   Won the public vote
  Won the judges' vote |   Lost the judges' vote |   Eliminated

Semi-final 1 (30 May)

Semi-FinalistOrderBuzzes and Judges' VotePercentageResult [11]
CowellHoldenMcIntyreHasselhoff
Girls Roc10.4%7th - Eliminated
Donelda Guy24.0%5th - Eliminated
Stuart Arnold3 Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg 1.0%8th - Eliminated
Paul Gbegbaje4 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 15.1%2nd (Judges' vote tied - Won on Public vote)
Bruce Sistaz56.2%4th - Eliminated
Ted & Grace62.5%6th - Eliminated
Joe Oakley7 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 9.2%3rd (Judges' vote tied - Lost on Public vote)
Ronan Parke861.6%1st (Won Public vote)

Semi-final 2 (31 May)

Semi-FinalistOrderBuzzes and Judges' VotePercentageResult [11]
CowellHoldenMcIntyreHasselhoff
Two and a Half Men115.4%4th - Eliminated
Enchantment2 Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg 1.8%7th - Eliminated
Herbie Armstrong35.2%5th - Eliminated
Lorna Bliss4 Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg 1.5%8th - Eliminated
New Bounce534.3%1st (Won Public vote)
Jean Martyn6 6 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 20.8%2nd (Won Judges' vote)
David & Karen716.5%3rd (Lost Judges' vote)
Up & Over It8 Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg 4.5%6th - Eliminated
  • ^6 Cowell did not cast his vote due to the majority support for Jean Martyn from the other judges, but admitted that his voting intention would have been for this semi-finalist.

Semi-final 3 (1 June)

Semi-FinalistOrderBuzzes and Judges' VotePercentageResult [11]
CowellHoldenMcIntyreHasselhoff
The Circus of Horrors14.0%6th - Eliminated
Jay Worley27.8%4th - Eliminated
Angela & Teddy31.2%7th - Eliminated
Abyss44.5%5th - Eliminated
Wachiraporn Tirpak5 Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg 0.7%8th - Eliminated
Les Gibson638.1%1st (Won Public vote)
James Hobley7 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 33.0%2nd (Won Judges' vote)
Gay & Alan8 Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 10.7%3rd (Lost Judges' vote)

Semi-final 4 (2 June)

Semi-FinalistOrderBuzzes and Judges' VotePercentageResult [11]
CowellHoldenMcIntyreHasselhoff
Dance Angels Elite12.3%6th - Eliminated
Jessica Hobson24.7%5th - Eliminated
Mexican Mayhem3 Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg 0.4%8th - Eliminated
Out of the Blue411.8%4th - Eliminated
Nathan Wyburn51.0%7th - Eliminated
Jai McDowall642.9%1st (Won Public vote)
Steven Hall7 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 23.9%2nd (Won Judges' vote)
Edward Reid8 Crystal Clear app clean.svg 13.0%3rd (Lost Judges' vote)

Semi-final 5 (3 June)

Semi-FinalistOrderBuzzes and Judges' VotePercentageResult [11]
CowellHoldenMcIntyreHasselhoff
Marawa11.1%7th - Eliminated
Pip & Puppy212.0%3rd (Lost Judges' vote)
The Celtic Colleens38.1%4th - Eliminated
Mr. & Mrs.4 Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg 0.3%9th - Eliminated
Follow the Right Path55.6%6th - Eliminated
Antonio Popeye 7 6 Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg Crystal Clear action button cancel.svg 0.6%8th - Eliminated
Michael Moral76.8%5th - Eliminated
Michael Collings8 Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg Crystal Clear app clean.svg 8 29.5%2nd (Won Judges' vote)
Razy Gogonea936.0%1st (Won Public vote)
  • ^7 Jedward made a special appearance for this performance as backing dancers & singers.
  • ^8 Hasselhoff did not cast his vote due to the majority support for Michael Collings from the other judges, but admitted that his voting intention would have been for this semi-finalist.

Final (4 June)

  Winner |   Runner-up
FinalistOrderPercentageFinished [11]
Steven Hall15.4%7th
Michael Collings27.7%5th
Les Gibson32.6%9th
James Hobley43.5%8th
Paul Gbegbaje55.8%6th
Ronan Parke626.7%2nd
Jean Martyn72.0%10th
Jai McDowall829.1%1st
Razy Gogonea98.4%4th
New Bounce108.9%3rd

Ratings

EpisodeAir DateTotal viewers
(millions) [14]
ITV1
Weekly rank [14]
Viewer Share (%)
Auditions 116 April11.42340.5 [15]
Auditions 223 April10.62341.5 [16]
Auditions 330 April10.65139.9 [17]
Auditions 47 May11.69142.2 [18]
Auditions 514 May9.72332.0 [19]
Auditions 621 May11.16142.2 [20]
Auditions 729 May11.53140.4 [21]
Semi-final 130 May12.27441.9 [22]
Semi-final 1 results11.16638.2 [22]
Semi-final 231 May10.651040.5 [23]
Semi-final 2 results10.041535.8 [23]
Semi-final 31 June10.311641.8 [24]
Semi-final 3 results8.671728.9 [24]
Semi-final 42 June10.531243.2 [25]
Semi-final 4 results10.481139.1 [25]
Semi-final 53 June10.361443.3 [26]
Semi-final 5 results10.61942.3 [26]
Live final4 June12.70247.0 [27]
Live final results12.95149.3 [27]

Criticism & incidents

The fifth series saw Britain's Got Talent face criticism from viewers, via social media, over unfair treatment on a participant. Their concern was over the performance of Jessica Hobson during her semi-final, and the belief her choice of song had been fixed by producers to ensure she would lose. Britain's Got More Talent presenter Stephen Mulhern refuted the allegations made by the complaints, making clear that production staff maintain high commitment to the well-being of participants (such as had been done for Susan Boyle in the third series) and that Hobson's performance had not been rigged against her. [28]

One of the more serious matters that occurred off-camera was the publication of a malicious blog against the participant Ronan Parke, which claimed that the competition had been fixed so that the singer would win and that he had been groomed by Simon Cowell's company Syco for two years in preparation to fulfil a record contract. However, Parke's family, Cowell, the producers and Syco, refuted the claims in the blog, even one that the blogger was an executive in the company, highlighting that the information was false and unsubstantiated. Producers determined that the nature of the blog was effectively malicious and aimed at bullying Parke online. [29] Police were brought in to investigate the motivation of the blogger's action, and resulted in the culprit being cautioned and ordered to apologise for the distress caused to those involved. [30]

References

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  3. Britain's Got Talent auditions hit London Now Magazine
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  8. "Britain's Got Talent To Feature Guest Judges". MTV UK. 23 December 2010. Archived from the original on 24 December 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
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  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The votes revealed!". ITV . 6 June 2011. Archived from the original on 5 July 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
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  14. 1 2 "Weekly Top 30 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board . Retrieved 6 May 2018.
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  16. Millar, Paul (24 April 2011). "New 'Doctor Who' kicks off with 6.5m" . Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  17. Millar, Paul (1 May 2011). "'Doctor Who' audience slips to 5.4m" . Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  18. Millar, Paul (8 May 2011). "'Britain's Got Talent' soars past 10 million" . Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  19. Millar, Paul (15 May 2011). "Eurovision TV ratings reach 11-year high" . Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  20. Millar, Paul (22 May 2011). "Sing If You Can' beats 'SYTYCD" . Retrieved 22 May 2011.
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  22. 1 2 Laughlin, Andrew (31 May 2011). "'Britain's Got Talent' semi nabs almost 11m" . Retrieved 31 May 2011.
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  27. 1 2 Millar, Paul (5 June 2011). "'Britain's Got Talent' final grabs 12.5m" . Retrieved 5 June 2011.
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  29. Plunkett, John (3 June 2011). "Britain's Got Talent: Simon Cowell calls in police over fixing claims". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
  30. Michael Hogan (31 May 2017). "Britain's Got Talent: the biggest controversies of all time". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2017.