Britain’s Got Talent fans are outraged after Paul Potts is booted off in the first round
1 September 2019, 15:49 | Updated: 1 September 2019, 17:57
12 years later and still as incredible 👏 Britain's Got Talent wouldn't be the same without @paulpottsmusic #BGTChampions pic.twitter.com/rP06Ez5s67
— Britain's Got Talent (@BGT) August 31, 2019
The opera singer was knocked out of last night's Britain's Got Talent: The Champions
Paul Potts, the opera singer, who won the first series of ITV's Britain's Got Talent was kicked out of the new show in its first week after judge Simon Cowell called his performance "shaky".
Simon Cowell was left gobsmacked when the new harsh voting system, where the audience at Wembley Arena vote for their favourite acts, meant that favourites Paul Potts and Connie Talbot were eliminated.
Paul Potts STUNS all over again | BGT: The Champions
Simon said: "I'm going to be honest with you Paul, I thought you started shaky and then halfway through the song it took me back to your first audition, which was you realising if you don't hit the big notes it's over."
"And that's what happened Paul, you hit the big note when it mattered. What I admire about you is you didn't need to be here tonight and the fact that you care is why you are a champion and always will be a champion."
Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to impress those sitting in the audience and the 2007 winner was voted out of the contest.
Thank you to everyone for your wishes. I hope you enjoyed my performance of the Godfather/Parla Piu piano. I appreciate the start that @BGT gave me and so I was happy to return to the show and will be happy to do so again. #ukismyhome
— Paul Potts (@paulpottsmusic) August 31, 2019
READ MORE: Britain's Got Talent winners, where are they now?
As part of the new judging, only one judge a week gets to hit the golden buzzer – and this week Amanda Holden got her turn and sent Ukraine’s Got Talent star Kseniya Simonova an automatic ticket to the final with her heart-breaking performance, which told the story of a cancer survivor using sand drawings.
Meanwhile, daredevil duo Bello and Annaliese Nock from America’s Got Talent earned the audience vote after a heart-stopping routine on a 50ft ‘wheel of death’ without a safety net, and Paul was one of the first to congratulate them, along with sand artist, Kseniya.
Well done @DareDaughter @Bellonock and @kseniyasimonova good luck in the final.
— Paul Potts (@paulpottsmusic) August 31, 2019
Paul hit back at viewers earlier today after some accused him of "sulking" when the results were read out by Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly, but he said "that's what I look like most of the time".
To those that thought I was sulking - that's what I look like most of the time lol I can prove it with this still from the original audition: I don't do fake smiles, but it doesn't mean I am grumpy sulky or feeling entitled. pic.twitter.com/ljgfNYohPs
— Paul Potts (@paulpottsmusic) August 31, 2019
Britain’s Got Talent airs on Saturday on ITV at 8pm.
