Amanda Holden debuts live show golden buzzer, revealing first 2025 finalist

By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter

Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden has sent Swiss dance troupe The Blackouts straight through to the grand finale after debuting the live show golden buzzer.

The first semi-final live show of the 2025 series of ITV reality contest took place at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London on Saturday.

The real-time broadcasts are voted on by the viewers, with the judges Simon Cowell, Holden, Alesha Dixon, and Bruno Tonioli, giving their opinions.

At the outset of Saturday’s episode, Geordie presenting duo Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly revealed that Holden has been given the “first” live show golden buzzer power, so she can send a contestant straight through to the final.

The Blackouts performed, showing off their dance and acrobatic act featuring LED-created shapes on stage and a person appearing to get lifted into the air holding balloons, to a melody of songs including Galantis’ Runaway (U & I) and Coldplay’s A Sky Full Of Stars.

Dixon said the group “make people smile”, and “feel good”, while Holden faced loud chants from the audience to give them the golden buzzer.

Before awarding it to them, Holden said “my heart sores for you”, while Cowell said they “were the kind of act I believe can win the series this year”.

The show also saw the presenters apologising for child magician Teddy Magic, eight, needing more time to come on stage, and Cowell fill time by making criticisms about the rock n’roll dinosaur act.

It was later revealed that Teddy would be sitting the live show out, and the presenters said there is hope he would return to the programme later in the series.

Instead of the magic act, Vinnie McKee – who won Cowell’s 2025 golden buzzer – took the slot, singing Chasing Cars from Snow Patrol in his operatic style.

Following voting, Scottish singer McKee was revealed as the winner of the first 2025 live semi-final and was told he is through to the finale.

Donnelly later said there was “a technical issue” that was delaying the semi-final, and chatted with the judges while that was sorted.

Also performing was Japanese act Akira Ohashi, whose routine included hiding his bottom half nudity with plates that bore the faces of the judges, and American horror-themed act Auzzy Blood.

Blood returned to the stage after his debut on BGT attracted hundreds of complaints.

His latest act saw him using his nostrils to thrown heavyweights around the stage, and using several sharp objects in a sword swallowing act.

Holden said it “turned my stomach”, and said she “couldn’t imagine” the King having to see the grotesque horror show at the Royal Variety Performance.

Nudist Ohashi, Blood and Jurassic rockers Heavysaurus were sent home, after failing to thrill the audience at home.

Zimbabwean singer Linda Mudzenda, who lives in Bedford, and South Korean magician Eden Choi also placed in the top, but were not put through to the finale.

Britain’s Got Talent’s 18th season began earlier this year, with the show seeing a number of different styles of performers compete for a chance to star in the Royal Variety Performance and win a cash prize.

Previous winners have included singer Susan Boyle, dance act Diversity and dog act Ashleigh And Pudsey.

The show will return to ITV and ITVX next Saturday at 7pm.