I’m not a fan of reality tv if I’m honest. For me, it’s a disturbing vision of the desperation and morality of society, who will do (almost) anything to get on tv. Big Brother, I’m a celebrity, The Apprentice, I’d rather watch a blank screen. But, there is one show that I do enjoy. One that keeps me intrigued from start to finish, and that is Britain’s Got Talent.
Before you judge me to the highest degree, let me explain. Most reality shows showcase one talent, if any at all. Britain’s Got Talent showcases people with skills in almost anything you can think of. A true variety show, with acts staying true to variety, instead of your plastic-fantastic pop stars of The X Factor. Yes you have singers, but you also have dancers, magicians, comedians, animals, jugglers or even classical musicians. They have the true British campness of a variety show, with the right amount of mainstream tv production values.
Whilst the youth of Britain rarely appear in the news unless it’s portraying them in a negative light, BGT shows that there are kids out there doing something with their lives. This years show had two particular acts to showcase this; a dance troupe called Nu Skool and an all boys choir called Only Boys Allowed. These two acts showed that there are kids out there, putting hard work into achieving goals and shunning the modern stereotypes of Britain’s youth.
The 2012 series was probably the most packed full of talent of any previous year of the show. There we’re acts who didn’t make the final who were probably good enough to win other years. The final was a true showcase of raw talent. From the opening act, The Mend, a four-piece boy band from Manchester, to 11 year old Molly who sang like an angel, to Aquabatique who put on a synchronised swimming masterclass, to the final act Jonathan & Charlotte the teenage opera singers, the show was truly amazing.
In the end, it came down to Jonathan & Charlotte, Ashleigh & Pudsey and Only Boys Allowed. All of them were worthy winners, but the winners in the end was Ashleigh and her dog Pudsey. That’s right, two amazing opera singing teenagers and a 140 strong boys choir lost out on £500k to a walking dog. I guess that’s what happens when you let the general public vote on a tv show. Regardless of the result, the final show was amazing and packed full of talented acts, proving that Britain’s certainly got talent. It’s just a shame that Britain’s also full of idiots who’d rather vote for a walking dog than actual talent.