Issy steals the show as Blackpool shows Britain's Got Talent
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Apr 2017, 11:18 GMT
Updated 9th May 2017, 18:52 GMT
Embargoed to 2120 Saturday April 22
MANDATORY CREDIT REQUIRED: SYCO/THAMES
ITV undated handout photo of QT Crew during the audition stage for ITV1's talent show, Britain's Got Talent. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Saturday April 22, 2017. See PA story SHOWBIZ BGT. Photo credit should read: Tom Dymond/Syco/Thames/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
As thousands of hopefuls from around the globe descended on the Blackpool Opera House, it was an eight-year-old magician who showed the town has talent.
Devote Harry Potter fan Issy Simpson wowed and baffled the panel of celebrity judges with the young Blackpool local the stand-out performer from Saturday night’s Britain’s Got Talent show.
The confident Hermione Grainger-wanna-be climbed down from the stage to join Simon Cowell before bamboozling him with a series of stunts and ended on an impressive card trick.
Receiving a standing ovation, Issy didn’t seem one bit fazed by performing in front of millions of viewers on the ITV show - never mind the packed opera house audience in front of her.
Embargoed to 2120 Saturday April 22
MANDATORY CREDIT REQUIRED: SYCO/THAMES
ITV undated handout photo of Issy Simpson during the audition stage for ITV1's talent show, Britain's Got Talent. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Saturday April 22, 2017. See PA story SHOWBIZ BGT. Photo credit should read: Tom Dymond/Syco/Thames/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Judge Alesha Dixon once described Blackpool as “The UK version of Las Vegas” and Issy’s act certainly wouldn’t have looked out of place in the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’.
But before Issy, residents of Lancashire might have been worried the county wasn’t showing the best it had to offer.
The 8pm show began with the judges riding through the promenade on a bus before David made a characteristically flamboyant entrance on a donkey pulled carriage.
Embargoed to 2120 Saturday April 22
MANDATORY CREDIT REQUIRED: SYCO/THAMES
ITV undated handout photo of Tony Allen during the audition stage for ITV1's talent show, Britain's Got Talent. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Saturday April 22, 2017. See PA story SHOWBIZ BGT. Photo credit should read: Tom Dymond/Syco/Thames/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Panoramic shots of Blackpool Tower, the beach and The Winter Gardens Theatre showed off some of Blackpool’s best bits and the town’s mayor Kath Rowson said “Blackpool has so much talent, I just hope it turns up!”
Mrs Rowson might have been disappointed with the start, as Tony Allen’s one-man-band was buzzed off, before a Charlie Chaplin singer turned strip-tease was also shown the exit door.
Then it was 47-year-old IT expert Simon Cowell’s, yes really, turn to be buzzed off as he failed to balance spoons on his face.
Even when talent did show up, in the form of a husband and wife dancing duo, they had travelled all the way from Beijing, China to be at the January auditions.
Embargoed to 2120 Saturday April 22
MANDATORY CREDIT REQUIRED: SYCO/THAMES
ITV undated handout photo of Gao Lin and Liu Xin during the audition stage for ITV1's talent show, Britain's Got Talent. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Saturday April 22, 2017. See PA story SHOWBIZ BGT. Photo credit should read: Tom Dymond/Syco/Thames/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
But after Issy entertained the huge crowd the show went from strength to strength.
The highlights were a high-flying nine-year-old on a scooter, a tear-jerking dance act, a piano-playing lovestruck teen and a musical comedian, who finished off what Amanda Holden described as “a thoroughly entertaining day”.
There might not have been many locals stealing the limelight but Blackpool put on a show like it always does.
Let’s just hope it isn’t another five years before the show returns again.
