Britains Got Talent

STREET dancer Ashley Banjo last night vowed his victorious Diversity crew will help FIX Broken Britain.
The 20-year-old behind the stunning TV routine that won Britain's Got Talent said: "We want to be ambassadors for young Britain."

Ashley, whose 11-strong troupe beat favourite Susan Boyle, declared war on knife and gun crime - admitting: "Everyone has been touched by those problems."

He said: "The message we're trying to get across is how you need good people."

Just hours after Saturday's jawdropping performance that wowed more than 19 million ITV1 viewers he begged kids to use them as an inspiration to turn away from thuggery.

In his first interview since the shock victory which scooped the 11 lads from Essex and East London £100,000, Ashley said: "Dancing has helped us through a lot of our problems.

"We work so hard and are so dedicated to what we do."

He pointed to his troupe's youngest members Perri Luc Kiely, 13, and Mitchell Craske, 12, saying: "Especially those guys. They are incredible."

In a rallying cry to the nation's youngsters, he declared: "If they can do it - WE can do it."

The Queen now gets to watch Diversity's high-octane acrobatics at the Royal Variety Performance in December.

During their dazzling routine, afro-haired Perri Luc was flung up in the air and backflipped across the stage.

Ashley joked: "That's just big hair, not a big head." Perri said of the win: "I'm just gobsmacked."

Mitchell said: "I still haven't taken it in. I'm not sure when we're going back to school!"

Diversity's spectacular included references to the Transformers sci-fi robots - and even the talent contest judges' red buzzers.

Last night Ashley was being hailed the nation's hottest new choreographer - as judge Simon Cowell saluted his determination to help put youngsters on the right track.

The pop guru said: "Diversity are a bloody good example to kids. When kids watch Diversity they see it's all about hard work and talent."

The eleven - whose oldest is 25 - include three sets of brothers. All are pals who grew up together. Two years ago they won the UK dance championships.

Their previous biggest earner was dancing in a shopping centre for less than £15 each.

Diversity's Terry Smith, 24, told how none of them had slept since their victory. The dancer confessed: "It's impossible."

He also revealed he tried to give disappointed Susan a consolation kiss after she came second with 20.2 per cent of the public vote compared to Diversity's 24 per cent.

Bookies had faced massive payouts if Susan won - and were last night mopping their brows with relief. Even science graduate Ashley admitted his "legs gave way" at the surprise result.

He had prepared a speech congratulating Susan. Now there is talk the group may get their OWN TV show.

Ashley said as he and his chums read copies of The Sun: "I don't think a street dance group, especially from the UK, has come as far as we have. We can almost create our own path."

But he admitted Cowell could find it difficult to make money out of them because they "can't sing".

The group was formed three years ago as a tribute to Sylvie Lewis - best friend of Ashley's mum Danielle.

Sylvie died of cancer aged 58. Six months later Diversity performed at a charity gig in her memory.

Ashley takes the stage with his brother Jordan Banjo, 16. Ian McNaughton, 25, has two brothers in the troupe - Jamie, 23, and Matthew, 16. Mitchell, 12, is joined by HIS brother Sam Craske.

Hollywood star Demi Moore - a big fan of Susan Boyle - admitted yesterday: "Diversity was amazing."

Dancer Terry Smith, 24 - an IT graduate - will use his winnings to pay off his student loan.

He said: "The money's better than a kick in the head but it's just an extra for us."

The Sun

Britain's Got Talent winners Diversity have been cast in Vertigo's 3D film StreetDance, reports ScreenDaily.

The dance troupe's rivals Flawless will also appear in the movie, which begins production this August and will be the first British film to be shot in 3D. Last year's BGT winner George Sampson is also expected to star in the project.

Vertigo co-founder James Richardson said that he was alerted to the dance acts after seeing them perform at the UK Street Dance Championships last July.

"When I saw Flawless and Diversity last summer I immediately started talking to them about being in the film as I felt they represented the very best of British streetdance," he said.

The plot will see them forced to share training space with ballet dancers from the Royal Dance School. They reluctantly team up and take part in the Street Dance Championships.

Ad and music video helmers Max and Dania will direct the project from a script by Jane English. Vertigo, who produced Danny Dyer vehicles The Football Factory and The Business, will distribute the movie the UK.

Congratulations to them :cheer:

Wow thats very good :D

Who was the biggest winner out of Britain's Got Talent's ratings smash finale on Saturday night? The Simon Cowell Christmas Party Fund, Susan Boyle or eventual winners Diversity? Well, maybe even more grateful than all of the above, was former also-ran actress and judge Amanda Holden. The smiley, self-confessed Botox fan, is now a household name with interest in her presenting skills and revealing dresses coming from as far afield as America. Read on to discover ten tantalising facts about the reality TV star.

1. Amanda Louise Holden was born on February 16, 1971. She grew up with mother Judith and stepfather Leslie in Waltham Chase in Hampshire.

2. Before her acting career took flight, Amanda appeared as a contestant on Cilla Black's Blind Date in 1991. She was not selected by the male picker and revealed that her ideal man was Jack Nicholson. "I like experience and maturity [in a man]," she admitted.

3. Another early TV appearance for Amanda came in 1994 when she cameoed in EastEnders as knicker-seller Carmen for five episodes. Her character was hired by Tricky Dicky (Ian Reddington) to work on Sanjay Kapoor's (Deepak Verma) stall. :eek:

4. Amanda has been adding an extra string to her extensive bow of talents this year, training as a midwife. She will reveal her new skills in ITV documentary My Life In Your Hands later this year.

5. Amanda wasn't the only member of the Holden family to be given the showbiz gene. Her sister Debbie, who is two years older, has also worked as a successful model.

6. Most Britain's Got Talent viewers copped an eyeful of Amanda Holden's ample chest region last week. But do you know her exact measurements? Her vital statistics are apparently 34B-24-34!

7. Holden has made no secret of her desire to launch a pop career at some point. She admits that she is too old to "try to be Britney", but reckons she could give pop-country music a good go. She said: "I don't think Amanda Holden's Country Album would be a huge seller. Maybe a bit more of a crossover like Shania Twain. I wouldn't mind covering Dolly Parton's 'Nine To Five'."

8. We already mentioned that Amanda made a cameo in EastEnders back in 1994. But did you know that she also auditioned for the role of brassy barmaid Tiffany Mitchell in the BBC One soap. The part eventually went to Martine McCutcheon, who used the show as a springboard for Hollywood acting, a pop career and a role in Echo Beach. :eek:

9. Holden hasn't given up on her dream of one day appearing in a soap, admitting that she would love to play a "snooty Southern bitch" in Coronation Street. "I love Corrie and that's kind of more iconic, I'd go into that for a bit," she revealed. :nono: :nono:

10. According to her friends, 38-year-old Holden has a "bawdy" and "crude" sense of humour when she's out on the town. "She has mannerisms a bit like Barbara Windsor in the Carry On films," said one pal. "She'll tell a rude joke about breasts and hoist up her own breasts to make the point...It's totally over the top." The filthy minx!

Source: MSN News 3rd June 2009

TV Complaints Not About Susan Boyle
It appears that most of the Britain's Got Talent complaints to TV watchdog Ofcom are not about Susan Boyle.

TV watchdog Ofcom has reported that almost 350 people have so far complained about Britain's Got Talent in the last week. However fewer than 20 of the objections received were about Susan Boyle.

Following the final, in which dance troupe Diversity shockingly triumphed over the Scottish spinster, only 16 complaints were received.

This is a sharp contrast to Friday's semi-final. Ten-year-old Hollie Steel performed a second time after breaking down and bursting into tears during her first attempt at Edelweiss.

Of the 331 viewers that contacted Ofcom at that time, more than half were annoyed that the child was allowed a second chance to perform. Ofcom said around 50 complaints were received about her welfare.

The incident has sparked a debate over whether children should be allowed to participate in talent shows. "With Britain's Got Talent, we are reviewing the complaints we have received against the Broadcasting Code. As with all such cases, our assessment will help us to decide whether we need to investigate or not, however at present we are not investigating," Ofcom has said.

Britain's Got Talent finalist Susan Boyle could need to remain in the Priory clinic for weeks, doctors have said.

The 48-year-old singer checked into the north London facility at the weekend, after feeling physically and mentally exhausted following the live final.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, the clinic's chief medical officer Chris Thompson insisted that the Priory was "not a rest home and not a spa. It is a psychiatric hospital".

"I cannot talk specifically about Susan Boyle but any admission to a psychiatric hospital for a matter of days is, in my opinion, a failed admission because either it was unnecessary in the first place or the job hasn’t been done fully.”

He went on to say that if Boyle had been assessed under the Mental Health Act, as previously speculated, it implied "compulsory admission".

"It implies there was a degree of personal risk," he explained. "Secondarily that implies she did not want to come into hospital voluntarily."

Earlier today, Boyle's older brother said that the family were hoping she would be leaving the clinic within the next few days, adding that she was feeling "a lot better" since her admission.

SOURCE: THE SUN ONLINE 5 JUNE 2009

Probe to help TV star kids

RULES for kids joining shows like Britain’s Got Talent are to be reviewed by the Government.

The move comes after singers Hollie Steel and Natalie Okri, both 10, and breakdancer Aidan Davis, 11, all broke down in front of millions of viewers.

Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan said: “We want children to develop and have exciting opportunities. We have a duty to ensure they are safeguarded appropriately.”

BGT kiddie star Shaheen Jafargholi’s grandad Anthony Thomas, 64, was knocked out when a yob threw an egg at him as he played bowls in Swansea.

The thing is though is that adults breakdown too, but yeah I do know that with kids its different

And it pees me off when people actually ring or whatever it is that they do about whoever won a show
Get over it

If anyone is to blame for kids breaking down then it's the parents. This is the thrid year of BGT and unless you having been living on Mars for the last three years then you know what is involved. If a child is gifted and confident and wants to appear on the show then there should be no problem, look at little Connie Talbot she was amazing and the dancing girl who was on the live show with her both of them showd no signs of nerves. Aiden only cried because Simon said he thought his semi-final performance was better.

Britain's Got Talent star Susan Boyle will charge £8,000 per minute at a series of corporate gigs this summer, a report claims.

According to the News Of The World, the show's runner-up is being booked to perform 12-minute sets for clients at a price of £100,000.

A source told the newspaper: "She's the biggest star to have come out of Britain's Got Talent, so her price to sing reflects that."

Boyle has already been tipped to become a 'global superstar' over the next year, despite losing out to dance troupe Diversity in the competition's final last month.

The 48-year-old singer recently checked out of the Priory clinic after receiving treatment for exhaustion and later made a well-received comeback on the first night of the Britain's Got Talent live tour.

Boyle's corporate bookings are reportedly being handled by Industry Music Group agent Andrew Pountain, who is also working with the programme's other finalists.

She is good but not THAT good imo.