A Britain's Got Talent act and ITV have spoken out following the latest round of auditions this weekend. The hit talent show was back on Saturday night with more acts from across the country taking to the stage.
Among those was Mary P opened the show with a surprise rendition of the Black Eyed Peas My Humps which judge Amanda Holden praised as keeping the Disney character Mary Poppins "relevant". Meanwhile, Hammerhand, from Hamberg in Germany, attempted to break the Guinness World Record of 122 coconuts broken with a hand in one minute.
The episode also saw a d isability dance group securing a golden buzzer from David Walliams after an uplifting audition. Born To Perform won over the judges - including Alesha Dixon and Simon Cowell - with their joyful dance routine.
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While they didn't get the coveted golden buzzer, another group who impressed were The London Community Gospel Choir, who sang a compilation of The O’Jays Love Train and Anytime You Need A Friend by Mariah Carey. Amanda said the performance was like "drinking 20 Beroccas", adding it was an "injection of life, love and energy," while Simon said he "hated" the group because they have made all the other choirs who audition "look bad".
However, Britain's Got Talent viewers believe that the choir was "already known". Formed in 1989, The London Community Gospel Choir has previously appeared on The One Show and have also performed at the Royal Albert Hall.
Responding to the claims, a statement from the group said: "The London Community Gospel Choir is approaching its 40th anniversary and we decided to audition for BGT, to mark that occasion and use the platform to help leave behind a lasting legacy. While we may be known to some in the industry, London Community Gospel Choir is not yet a household name.
"We have been fortunate enough to collaborate with some established acts but now is the time for the choir to make a name for itself in its own right and have our time in the spotlight."
A BGT spokesperson also told Entertainment Daily : "These claims unnecessarily encourage negative trolling against the London Community Choir. This is not a fix, and we take fix claims extremely seriously.
"Anyone can apply for Britain’s Got Talent, whether they are professional or amateur, irrespective of their experience. All contestants are auditioned on merit and judged on their performance on the day and whilst some of the acts appearing on the show may have tasted a level of success, they are not household names.
"All enter the contest with the hope of elevating their career to the highest level. Thank you to our viewers who tuned in to watch the episode last night."
It is now the third time BGT has spoken out in defence of its acts. ITV were forced to speak out after an auditionee didn't even know he was set to perform in front of the judges until his mum and two daughters appeared on the stage as he sat in the audience.
Nick Edwards, 36, had a shock as his daughters Savannah and Cali, three and four, were brought on stage by his mother Tracey in a bid to convince him to audition which aired during Saturday night's return show (April 16). But it didn't stop eagle-eyed BGT viewers from believing they had spotted an issue with the 'surprise' audition after spotting that Nick was wearing a mic while sitting in the audience.
Also last week, Britain's Got Talent responded after the show's return was hit with 'racism' complaints. It came after veteran performer Jim Fitzpatrick returned to the programme. His performance started with Jim being lowered to the stage from the ceiling wearing a bizarre crow outfit before partaking in a limited dance routine.
