The new series of Britain's Got Talent has had fans talking with its high-energy opening sketches, and fans couldn't believe their eyes moments into the third episode as head judge Simon Cowell appeared to take a bubble bath. In an all-singing, all-dancing start to the 16th series of BGT, Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly were singing in the streets to The Osmonds song Having a Party surrounded by dancers, singers and other talented acts.
Then in the second episode, the ITV talent show rolled into Manchester and Ant and Dec headed to Coronation Street. The duo found themselves wandering the world's most famous street, just across the bridge from The Lowry in Salford where Manchester's auditions were based, as they tracked down judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, Bruno Tonioli and Simon.
In a comical sketch Ant asked "so where are they judges then?" and Dec admitted he'd installed a tracker on head judge Simon's phone. As they walked along with famous landmarks on the Trafford Wharf Road set in the backdrop, including The Kabin and Nick Tilsley's bistro, they literally bumped into Weathefield icon Sally Metcalfe, played by Sally Dynevor.
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Looking shocked, she said "you're ..." and Ant cut in to finish her sentence: "Ant McPartlin, former rapper, current TV host and two time rear of the year award." Dec quickly butted in to say he was only "runner up." But Sally looked unimpressed as she corrected "you're stood on my foot" and walked off.
The sketch, to kick off the second instalment on Sunday night, then cut to the judges sitting around a table at Roy's Rolls all dressed up ready for the auditions. They looked at home in Roy Cropper's cafe as Shona Platt brought over a plate of toast and pasta letters with just the letters 'BGT.' Simon approved: "Just how I like it."
In the latest episode on Saturday night (April 22) Ant and Dec raised laughs again as they opened the show with a tuk-tuk. "It's all the rage all the kids are gong mad," Dec explained to a confused Ant. It transpired that he'd confused the three-wheeled vehicle with the video sharing platform TikTok.
But it didn't stop Ant and Dec going for a ride in a yellow one, and the camera panned to new judge Bruno Tonioli driving a separate Union Jack decorated tuk-tuk. Fellow judges Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden could be heard asking about Simon's whereabouts, saying: "I reckon he's having a nice hot warm bath."
The montage then showed a man looking very like Simon in a soapy tub filled with bubbles. In a most unexpected and unlikely scene, the music mogul wore sunglasses as he held up a yellow rubber duck. Simon said: "I didn't like it, I loved it."
@Andiamluke tweeted in disbelief with laughing emojis: "Simon having a bath." But @TheRealDeclanK1 laughed; "That was so not Simon in the bath." And @Erdogan44 decided: "Absolutely an actor with Simon in the bath haha."
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