Alesha Dixon nearly stole Britain’s Got Talent’s Sarah Ikumu from Simon Cowell before he made his Golden Buzzer pick

ALESHA Dixon nearly pressed her Golden Buzzer for Sarah Ikumu on Britain's Got Talent.

The judge wanted to press for the 16-year-old singer before Simon Cowell swooped in to steal her after being impressed by her incredible talent.

“Simon’s Golden buzzer act could win," Alesha told The Sun Online.

"I nearly pressed the buzzer for her. I felt she would be a better fit for Simon. He thinks that I am slow and that he won and I tried to tell him, trust me, if I wanted to press for her but they’re a match made in heaven for each other.”

Speaking of her own pick, she said: “I think Simon, mine and Amanda’s Golden Buzzer’s are really strong. David’s is good but I’m being honest, whether that act can win I don’t know.”

Music mogul Cowell brought an unexpected end to the first round of auditions by giving the coveted Golden Buzzer to teen singer Sarah Ikumu on the first episode of the new series.

The 16-year-old wowed audiences with her show-stopping rendition of And I Am Telling You on Saturday night's show.

Cowell seemed cynical as she walked shyly onto the stage in a beige jumper and jeans, while her parents and sister watched from the crowd.

Both he and the waiting audience looked far from optimistic as he described the track as one of the "biggest songs in the world".

But her flawless performance of the emotional epic brought the auditorium at London's Palladium theatre to its feet as Cowell hit the button to automatically propel her to the competition's semi-final.

"I have heard that song a lot," he said.

"I thought it started great and then it's like you became possessed halfway through, it was quite incredible."

Co-judge Amanda Holden described Sarah's audition as "mind-blowing", while Alesha Dixon said: "I didn't press that Golden Buzzer because I wanted Simon to press it - I want you to go far and I think Simon can help you because you are a superstar."

David Walliams joked: "It was alright."

Sarah was not the only person to impress the judges, as they were swept up in a whirlwind evening of stand-up comedy, mind-reading trickery, animal-masked dancers and a twerking magician.

They even took to the stage themselves, bringing their own dogs up to join contestant Mahny and pet Robbie for some "doga".

Even though Walliams received a nasty surprise when one of the canine stars relieved himself on his polished shoes, the pair were waved through to the next round of the competition with three yeses.

Among the acts that scooped a full hand of yeses were eight-year-old comedian Ned Woodman with his witty one-liners aimed at the judges, and police officer Dan Graham, who broke out some impressive dance moves while in uniform.

The panel also showed their support, and their tears, for The Missing People Choir, who gave a heart-wrenching performance of original song I Miss You dedicated to their lost loved ones.

Emotions were flipped again as the audience were left completely awestruck by Essex-based mind-reading duo DNA.

Not only did they appear to read Cowell's mind, but they managed to slip another trick past the room when they pointed out that they had changed their t-shirts during the act.

• Britain's Got Talent continues on ITV with the second round of auditions at 8pm next Saturday

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