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Britain’s Got Talent hit back in new ‘fix row’ after audience member claims new golden buzzer act had ‘secret advantage’
There will be a record numer of golden buzzers this year
BRITAIN'S Got Talent has hit back after an audience member claimed the show's new Golden Buzzer act was given a "secret advantage".
The ITV juggernaut returns on Saturday after the audition stages were recorded in front of audiences around the country earlier this year.
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A stream of hopefuls peformed in front of lucky BGT fans who bagged tickets, and this year's line-up of judges including Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno.
But one fan has now landed the show in hot water after they said one act was given more rehearsal time - before the cameras rolled.
And the BGT superfan revealed that when recording finally started, that same act later got the golden buzzer.
The audience member said they believed it was a fix, as they didn't see any other acts performing.
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And they professed the same happened last year too when they also bagged tickets to the audtions in 2023.
They witnessed Ghetto Kids sailing through after bagging loads more rehearsal time over the other acts.
The BGT fan made the claim on a Digital Spy forum and The Sun has now reached out to Britain's Got Talent for comment.
In their lengthy post, the fan wrote: "I have an observation I went to the bgt opening last year and the bgt opening today.
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"At first i didnt think anything much of it last year but it now seems to be a pattern from last year.
"Last years opening before the opening warm up act the audience saw Ghetto Kids (Brunos golden buzzer rehearsing their audition on stage). No other act.
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"Today when the audience got inside the venue the audience saw a act rehearsing and being filmed on stage. No other act today, the act got the golden buzzer."
They captioned the post with a string of smiling faces upside down, and continued: "What does everyone else think?"
Fans regulary question the authenticity of reality talent shows and sometimes think winners are rigged.
However, a BGT source has insisted the audience member got the wrong end of the stick.
A show insider explained how it works behind the scenes.
They told us: "Any act that requires a rehearsal on the day will get one, but the audience only come in at the last minute, so only see the final act perform.
"It just so happened that on those days, the final rehearsing act may have got the golden buzzer, but of course that's not always the case.
"Comedian Axel Blake got a golden buzzer and went on to win in 2022, for example, but he didn't rehearse on stage as often it's only the big productions like dance acts and magicians that need to."
Until Bruno’s arrival last year, the judges all stuck to just one buzz a series.
But this season, Cowell, 64, has revealed there will be a record nine golden buzzers used.
And the head judge has admitted he is all for the chaos.
He said: “I love that there aren’t any rules on the show any more.
“It is kind of like being back at school, because the teachers keep coming in saying, ‘You know, can we try and keep the golden buzzers down?’
“And they know we’ve got absolutely no intention whatsoever of doing that.
“I keep saying, ‘Look, if something happens or the audience in particular are telling us, then we kind of have to’.
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“I think they secretly love when it happens, but they have to try and keep us in check.
“But I don’t think it matters. I mean, we don’t want to get to the point where you’ve got 20 golden buzzer acts, but I think eight or nine is fine."
The new series of Britain's Got Talent is set to kick-off this Saturday at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
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