Britain's Got Talent fans have questioned if an audition was "contrived" during the series debut on Saturday, as they watched a dad perform after being secretly entered into the competition by his two daughters.
Simon Cowell and the panel were enchanted by Savannah and Cali, aged three and four, when they walked on the stage with their nan, leaving dad Nick Edwards stunned as he thought the family was just there to be part of the audience.
The adorable siblings said they wanted their dad to audition and surprising him was the only way to get him in front of the buzzers- leaving viewers to question if Nick really had no idea about it. However, the show has explained that Nick didn't suspect a thing.
As Nick made his way to the stage, mum Tracey said she had to apply to the show for Nick as he would have never done it himself.
"I think over the years, I've lost a lot of confidence in myself," he admitted, "So I tend to do it at home in the shower."
After psyching himself up for the performance, a nervous Nick came back to a raucous applause and and was nearly in tears before the song even started due to the warm reception.
However social media users were sceptical of the moment, with many pointing out the dad already had a microphone on him when he was in the audience.
But, the show has denied the moment was staged, explaining that Nick was approached to be a member of the 'Gogglebox' audience, who are all given mics, so their reactions to the audience can be heard.
One person said: "Nearly shed a tear until I remembered how contrived this whole thing was. I won't let this show fool me."
Another wrote: "When he was sat in the audience did he not wonder where his mum and kids were? He said they'd come on a day out together?"
One unimpressed viewer said: "Complete surprise but he's got a microphone on...Ok sure."
Another pointed out: "Nick had no idea why he was in the #BGT audience Also Nick; wearing a microphone," while one person said: "Plus Nick just so happened to have his song lyrics printed out too."
One person replied to BGT's official account, which had tweeted about the moment: "We’re really not #staged the whole show is DIRE and dated!"
Another quipped: "Not staged, but had a microphone already attached when surprised in the audience and luckily also had his guitar with him #bgt."
There were some who stuck up for the show however, with one person saying: "To all the people that are moaning about being staged and overly sentimental…. Remember folks it’s a tv show designed to entertain, that’s the point #BGT."
Others were moved by the moment, with one viewer writing: "Honestly in tears for Nick."
"Omg that two little girls surprising their dad, absolutely crying," another penned.
A third person said: "I’m crying at the man singing to his little girls #bgt."
An official BGT spokesperson said: "We loved welcoming back our BGT viewers back last night after a year away. To report or allude to anything being staged or contrived regarding Nick's audition would be false and incorrect.
"Quite simply, when Nick entered the Palladium auditorium during BGT auditions, he was approached to be part of our ‘gogglebox’ audience and told he would be mic'd up so we could capture his reactions throughout the day as he sat in the audience.
"He was totally unsuspecting. We did this so we could mic him up without him suspecting a thing".
BGT returned after missing a year due to the pandemic, and continues to be hosted by Ant & Dec.
Britain’s Got Talent continues this Sunday at 19:35 on ITV and ITV Hub.
