Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle

Britain’s Got Talent returns for another season tonight and while we don’t know what wonders might await us in this year’s contest, we’ve looked back over the last six years at the best of what Britain’s Got Talent has to offer and come up with our favourite acts that have taken to the stage in front of Cowell, Holden and company.

 

Flawless

The former street dancing world champions didn’t disappoint when they took to the stage for Britain’s Got Talent back in 2009, with all their confidence coming out in an incredible set of performances that constantly left our jaws rooted to the floor.

In nearly any other year, they could have won at a canter, but Flawless were just unlucky enough to enter the competition in the same year as two other acts who both made it onto our list.

Ashleigh and Pudsey

The story of one girl and her dog that have a truly special bond, Ashleigh and Pudsey’s march to victory in last year’s competition was a real example of just how diverse Britain’s Got Talent can be.

For years we’d had dancing dog acts on the show, but none had anything like the charisma that Ashleigh and Pudsey had, with the pair cruising to victory last year with the highest percentage of votes in the final of any act ever on the show.

Susan Boyle

Britain’s Got Talent has a knack for finding incredible gifts in unsuspecting places and possibly none were quite as surprising as Susan Boyle. Her audition became an instant internet phenomenon, and suddenly transformed Boyle from just another Scot into the worldwide name.

Her debut album became the most pre-ordered record ever when it was announced in 2009, as well as earning her the first of her two Grammy nominations. Boyle is without doubt the biggest success stories that Britain’s Got Talent can boast about, with the singer having sold over 18 million albums so far.

Jonathan and Charlotte

Britain’s Got Talent has had its fair share of operatic performers, but none were quite as likeable, fresh and inventive as Jonathan and Charlotte when they entered the contest last year. The mix of operatic and pop vocals gives them the edge over the other similar acts that have graced

They might have been beaten in the final by Ashleigh and Pudsey, but they won the hearts of millions, with their debut album the came out last year and hit the top five of the charts.

Spellbound

While Britain’s Got Dancing has become a mecca for complex and elaborate dancing, Spellbound brought something totally different to the table with their incredible acrobatic feats of magic.

While gymnastics at its most sterile is an incredible feat of strength and precision, but when it was given the brilliantly inventive choreography that Spellbound processed, it turned into pure drama.

Escala

While classical music will always have a place in the musical, making it rambunctious and entertaining on stage is a bit of a tough act, which made Escala all the more impressive.

The string quartet might have been controversial throughout their time on the show, with rumours abound that Cowell had personally approached them to be on the show beforehand, but you can’t deny that they were as impressive visually as they were aurally, making their performances exactly that.

Stavros Flatley

Britain’s Got Talent is all about entertainment and in that factor; Stavros Flatley offered that in spades, with the father and son act providing more grins per minute than anyone else. They might not have been big, clever, or anything other than a fun gimmick, but the beauty of the pair was that they absolutely embraced that.

Dancing should be about having a laugh, and Stavros Flatley proved that time after time when they took to the stage.

Diversity

It took a lot to beat Susan Boyle in the year she competed in the contest, but Diversity are still arguably the best act ever to compete in the history of the show.

Their choreography was utterly incredible. Complex, rapid and visually striking, Ashley Banjo and his crew kept upping their game throughout the competition and could master the stage like no other dance act before or since.

 

What were your favourite acts from Britain’s Got Talent? Let us know in the comments section.