Britain's Got Talent (series 2)

The second series of Britain's Got Talent, a British talent competition series, was broadcast in the UK during 2008, from 12 April to 31 May on ITV. Following the success of its first series, ITV commissioned the programme for additional episodes, with more venues used for auditions than in the previous series, and the number of semi-finalists, semi-final rounds, and finalists increased by production staff. Both the judges from the first series - Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan - and the hosts Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (colloquially known as Ant & Dec), returned for the second series, along with Stephen Mulhern returning to front the second series of Britain's Got More Talent on ITV 2.

Britain's Got Talent
Series 2
Hosted byAnthony McPartlin (ITV)
Declan Donnelly (ITV)
Stephen Mulhern (ITV2)
JudgesSimon Cowell
Amanda Holden
Piers Morgan
WinnerGeorge Sampson
Runner-upsSignature
Andrew Johnston
Release
Original networkITV
ITV2 (BGMT)
Original release12 April (2008-04-12) –
31 May 2008 (2008-05-31)
Series chronology

The second series was won by street dancer George Sampson,[1] with dance duo Signature finishing in second place, and singer Andrew Johnston placing third. During its broadcast, the series proved to be a greater ratings success, averaging 10.2 million viewers.[2] ITV was forced to defend the programme during its second series, after viewers criticised the involvement of a professional group in the contest.

Series overview

Following open auditions held the previous year, the Judge's Auditions took place early in 2008, within London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow and Blackpool. With the success of the previous series, the production team decided to expand the show's filming schedule to include more episodes. This led to the addition of two more episodes for auditions and two more live episodes for semi-finals, in turn leading to a direct increase in the number of semi-finalists that the judges could move beyond the auditions stage of the competition. Both the judges and the presenters who took part in the first series agreed to return for the second series, leading to no significant changes in the panel or hosts.

Of the participants that took part, only forty made it past this stage and into the five live semi-finals,[3] with eight appearing in each one, and ten of these acts making it into the live final. The following below lists the results of each participant's overall performance in this series:

  Winner |   Runner-up |   Third place
  Finalist |   Semi-finalist
Participant Age(s) 1 Genre Act From Semi-Final Result
Andrew Johnston 13 Singing Boy Soprano Carlisle, Cumbria 2 Third place
Andrew Muir 24 Singing Singer Fauldhouse, West Lothian 4 Finalist
Anya Sparks 42 Dance Dancer London 5 Eliminated
Bang On 34, 27 Music Urban Percussionists Hounslow, London 2 Eliminated
Boogie Babes 8–12 Dance Dance Troupe Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria 4 Eliminated
Boogie Wonderland 12–21 Dance Dance Troupe Liverpool 1 Eliminated
Caburlesque 22-26 Dance Cabaret & Burlesque Group London 5 Eliminated
Charlie Green 10 Singing Singer Worcestershire 3 Eliminated
Charlie Wernham 13 Comedy Stand-up Comedian Essex 4 Eliminated
Cheeky Monkeys 8, 9 Dance Junior Dance Duo Burnley, Lancashire 2 Finalist
Craig Harper 35 Singing / Comedy Singer & Impressionist Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire 5 Eliminated
Dean Wilson 18 Singing Musical Theatre Performer Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire 1 Eliminated
Deans of Magic 46, 38 Magic Erotic Magicians Daventry, Northamptonshire 3 Eliminated
Diva Las Vegas 20-48 Dance Cabaret Dance Group Runcorn, Cheshire 5 Eliminated
Escala 23–26 Music Electric String Quartet London 5 Finalist
Faryl Smith 12 Singing Classical Singer Kettering, Northamptonshire 4 Finalist
Flava 17–28 Dance Hip-hop Dance Group Cornwall 2 Eliminated
George Sampson 14 Dance Breakdancer Warrington, Cheshire 3 Winner
Harlequin Stage School 8–13 Dance Dance Troupe Worcester, Worcestershire 4 Eliminated
Hoop La La 22, 23, 24 Dance / Variety Hula Hoopers Inverness 3 Eliminated
Iona Luvsandorj 27 Variety Contortionist London 2 Eliminated
Irresistible 23, 21, 23 Singing Pop Group Tyne & Wear 3 Eliminated
James Stone 52 Singing Singer Rhyl, Denbighshire 4 Eliminated
Jeremy Lynch 20 Variety Football Freestyler Essex 4 Eliminated
Kate And Gin 16, 6 2 Animals / Dance Musical Canine Freestyle Norbury, Cheshire 1 Finalist
Kay and Harvey 56, 71 Singing / Music Opera Singer & Keyboardist Duo Bristol 2 Eliminated
Madonna Decena 32 Singing Singer Manchester 5 Eliminated
Mandy Ellen Dancers 10–24 Dance Dance Troupe Maidstone, Kent 2 Eliminated
Mary Halford March 6–9 Dance Dance Troupe Liverpool 3 Eliminated
Michael Machell 57 Music Electric Keyboardist Hastings, East Sussex 1 Eliminated
Nemesis 18–22 Dance Dance Group Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire 5 Finalist
Per Diem 24, 23 Singing / Music Guitarist & Singer Duo Liverpool 5 Eliminated
Phil Blackmore 34 Danger / Variety Balancer & Juggler London 1 Eliminated
Sauris Nandi 64 Magic Illusionist London 2 Eliminated
Signature 29, 34 Dance Michael Jackson & Bhangra Dance Duo London 1 Runner-up
Sophie Mei 20 Dance / Variety Belly Dancer Sheffield 1 Eliminated
Strike 22, 19 Variety Martial Artists Sheffield 3 Finalist
Tracy Lee Collins 44 Singing Drag act Leicester, Leicestershire 1 Eliminated
Urban Gypsies 35–50 Dance Belly-dancing Troupe Blackpool 3 Eliminated
Vizage 34, 30 Magic / Singing Quick-change Artists & Singers Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire 4 Eliminated
  • ^1 Ages denoted for a participant(s), pertain to their final performance for this series.
  • ^2 The latter value pertains to the age of the dog, as disclosed by its owner.

Semi-final summary
Buzzed out | Judges' vote |   Advanced - Public Vote
  Advanced - Judges' Vote |   Eliminated - Judges' Vote |   Eliminated

Semi-final 1 (26 May)
Semi-Finalist Order Buzzes and Judges' Vote Result
Cowell Holden Morgan
Boogie Wonderland 1 Eliminated
Kate and Gin 2 Advanced (Won Judges' Vote)
Michael Machell 3 Eliminated
Dean Wilson 4 Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote)
Sophie Mei 5 Eliminated
Tracey Lee Collins 6 Eliminated
Phil Blackmore 7 Eliminated
Signature 8 Advanced (Won Public Vote)

Semi-final 2 (27 May)
Semi-Finalist Order Buzzes and Judges' Vote Result
Cowell Holden Morgan
Mandy Ellen Dancers 1 Eliminated
Iona Luvsandorj 2 Eliminated
Cheeky Monkeys 3 Advanced (Won Judges' Vote)
Kay and Harvey 4 Eliminated
Bang On 5 Eliminated
Flava 6 Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote)
Sauris Nandi 7 Eliminated
Andrew Johnston 8 Advanced (Won Public Vote)

Semi-final 3 (28 May)
Semi-Finalist Order Buzzes and Judges' Vote Result
Cowell Holden Morgan
Irresistible 1 Eliminated
Strike 2 Advanced (Won Judges' Vote)
Mary Halford March 3 Eliminated
The Deans of Magic 4 Eliminated
Charlie Green 5 Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote)
Urban Gypsies 6 Eliminated
Hoop La La 7 Eliminated
George Sampson 8 Advanced (Won Public Vote)

Semi-final 4 (29 May)
Semi-Finalist Order Buzzes and Judges' Vote Result
Cowell Holden Morgan
James Stone 1 Eliminated
Charlie Wernham 2 Eliminated
Harlequin Stage School 3 Eliminated
Andrew Muir 4 Advanced (Won Judges' Vote)
The Boogie Babes 5 Eliminated
Vizage 6 Eliminated
Jeremy Lynch 7 Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote)
Faryl Smith 8 Advanced (Won Public Vote)

Semi-final 5 (30 May)
Semi-Finalist Order Buzzes and Judges' Vote Result
Cowell Holden Morgan
Caburlesque 1 Eliminated
Madonna Decena 2 Eliminated
Anya Sparks 3 Eliminated
Craig Harper 4 Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote)
Diva Las Vegas 5 Eliminated
Nemesis 6 Advanced (Won Judges' Vote)
Per Diem 7 Eliminated
Escala 8 Advanced (Won Public Vote)

Final (31 May)
  Winner |   Runner-up |   3rd place
Finalist Order Result 3
Cheeky Monkeys 1 Finalist
Andrew Muir 2 Finalist
Kate and Gin 3 Finalist
Nemesis 4 Finalist
Strike 5 Finalist
Andrew Johnston 6 3rd
George Sampson 7 1st
Faryl Smith 8 Finalist
Escala 9 Finalist
Signature 10 2nd
  • ^3 The results did not declare any other position than that of the winner, 2nd place, and 3rd place.

Ratings
Main article: List of Britain's Got Talent episodes
Episode Air Date Total Viewers
(millions) [4]		 ITV 1
Weekly rank[4]		 Viewer Share
Auditions 1 12 April 9.44 6 37.0% [5]
Auditions 2 19 April 10.96 1 43.3% [6]
Auditions 3 26 April 9.86 3 41.3% [7]
Auditions 4 3 May 9.12 5 39.1% [8]
Auditions 5 10 May 8.17 6 37.9% [9]
Auditions 6 17 May 9.11 2 37.5% [10]
Auditions 7 24 May 8.27 5 37.2% [11]
Semi-final 1 26 May 11.33 4 42.0% [12]
Semi-final 2 27 May 9.29 9 35.3% [13]
Semi-final 3 28 May 10.03 6 35.9% [14]
Semi-final 4 29 May 10.13 5 41.9% [15]
Semi-final 5 30 May 11.86 2 50.0% [16]
Live final 31 May 11.52 3 51.1% [17]
Live final results 13.88 1 55.1% [17]

Criticism

The second series of Britain's Got Talent faced criticism for the involvement of professional performers in the contest. Media outlets revealed evidence that the group Escala, who took in the contest in 2008, had previously been involved as guest performers for a wrap party on The X Factor in 2007. ITV refuted allegations that this was unfair conduct against other participants, by arguing that the programme's researchers applied the same process and treatment to everyone who auditioned, and that the contest was open to anyone regardless of their experience with the talent they chose to perform with.[18]

References
  1. "Breakdancer wins TV talent contest". The Press Association. Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
  2. "Reality TV hurts too much – WalesOnline". Icwales.icnetwork.co.uk. 31 May 2008.
  3. Top 40 Acts Archived 29 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Weekly Top 30 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  5. Brook, Stephen (14 April 2008). "Britain's Got Talent back with 8.8m". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  6. Brook, Stephen (21 April 2008). "Ratings soar for Britain's Got Talent". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  7. Reevell, Philip (30 April 2008). "International formats bolster ITV weekend". Broadcastnow.co.uk.
  8. Holmwood, Leigh (6 May 2008). "Talent shines but viewers head outdoors". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  9. Holmwood, Leigh (12 May 2008). "Talent sizzles as heat hits ratings". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  10. Fitzsimmons, Caitlin (19 May 2008). "FA Cup final scores a ratings victory". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  11. Fitzsimmons, Caitlin (27 May 2008). "TV ratings: 7.1m UK viewers tune in to Eurovision". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  12. Holmwood, Leigh (27 May 2008). "TV ratings: Britain's Got Talent dances off with honours". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  13. Rogers, Jon (28 May 2008). "ITV1 delivers masterclass to The Apprentice". Broadcastnow.co.uk.
  14. Rogers, Jon (29 May 2008). "2.8m get the Mary Whitehouse experience". Broadcastnow.co.uk.
  15. Rogers, Jon (30 May 2008). "Thursday peaktime blues for BBC1". Broadcastnow.co.uk.
  16. Dowell, Ben (2 June 2008). "TV ratings: Britain's Got Talent semi-final shines for ITV". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  17. "Britain's Got Talent wins ratings war – Showbiz – News – Manchester Evening News". Manchestereveningnews.co.uk. 18 April 2010. Archived from the original on 21 August 2008.
  18. Scala Are Bunch Of Real Pros Archived 1 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
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