Britain's Got Talent fans were in for a creepy surprise when they tuned in for Saturday night's episode. The smiles delivered by the long-running ITV talent show. were transformed into terror as a witch character appeared on stage in a puff of smoke and menacingly approached the panel of judges.
The witch asked judges David Walliams and Alesha Dixon to take a bite from an apple before moving along to Amanda Holden. An apple was placed in each of Amanda's hands as Simon Cowell was asked to choose left or right.
Amanda took a bite from the chosen apple before the witch appeared to convulse and transformed the other apple into a swarm of cockroaches and maggots. Amanda screamed in horror and Alesha fled the desk before the witch disappeared again in a flash of a light.
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Viewers watching at home were both terrified and enthralled by the act as the judges awarded four yeses to send the witch through to the next stage of the competition. But other fans questioned an 'edge' around the judges' desk.
The M.E.N. understands that the edging was placed on the desk to contain the insects, but the four judges had no idea why it was there. They were told it was required for the act but no details were given.
The matter was discussed on Twitter by curious fans. @bernio74 tweeted: "Perspex all round the desk to keep the bugs in. How did they know to do that ? Fix."
@DameCrusty said: Thankfully the judges weren't expecting that act and didn't question the perspex wall going around their desk to stop the creepy-crawlies getting away." @CineMATic1984 asked: "How come they had plastic up around the buzzer desk to keep the bugs in with the witch if they didn’t know the bugs were going to happen!"
And @MattWi1kinson asked: "Did the special desk not clue them in?" But @griffonline explained: "Oddly, because they’ve already done an audition and the production crew know what’s happening."
And @MwMsportMedia said: "The producers do know what acts are coming on. They don't randomly turn up on the day." And they added: "Legally they'd need to take precautions for anything potentially dangerous. It's always been like that."
Praise came pouring in for the performance. @Matts_Tweeting said: "The witch was probably one of the simplest and best scarey acts they've done production on." @Saf_0490 said: "Omg #BGT the witch was epic." And @Inscarll tweeted: "Can’t even lie the witch was so captivating."