Britain’s Got Talent 2017: five must-see auditions in Episode 1, from the Missing People Choir to Sarah Ikumu

Simon Cowell’s competition is back with one of the best contestants in recent memory
Jaw-dropping: 15 year-old Sarah Ikumu stunned the judges with her audition
Thames / Syco Entertainment
Ben Travis15 April 2017

Britain’s Got Talent is back, and the first auditions show of the 2017 series proved to be a real Easter treat.

The ITV singing competition returned with more un-missable auditions, featuring mind-readers, a tear-jerking choir – and one of the most jaw-dropping singers the show has ever seen.

Here are five performances you need to see from the show’s return.

1) Ned Woodman

The set-up was obvious: cute smiley kid opens the new series of Britain’s Got Talent in an adorable way.

Except it didn’t quite turn out that was. As it happens, 8 year-old Ned Woodman from Maidstone is not a singer but a comedian, who went on to roast the judges with brutal honestly. “Savage” indeed.

2) Jess Robinson

BGT always plays host to a few impressionists, but most of them tend to be men doing the same old voices we’ve heard a million times.

33 year-old Jess was a breath of fresh air, offering impersonations you don’t usually hear – and delivering most of them in song form. Impressive.

Britain's Got Talent Auditions 2017

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3) DNA

Admit it – you rolled your eyes when DNA took to the stage and proclaimed themselves as ‘mind-readers’. Their first tricks were so simple that you could easily imagine how they actually did it.

And then they stepped it up with a proper ‘what just happened’ triple-telepath trick with Simon Cowell that turned out to be a real head-scratcher. Even better, they capped it off with a jaw-dropping final revelation.

4) The Missing People Choir

The most touching audition of the night came from the Missing People Choir – a group consisting of men and women who have at some have had family members disappear. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as the choir sang ‘I Miss You’ – with images of their missing relatives appearing on the screen.

It was genuinely emotional, and a great way to spread awareness.

5) Sarah Ikumu

Let’s not beat about the bush: this audition was properly incredible. You could feel the initial awkwardness when 15 year-old Sarah Ikumu said she was going to sing And I Am Telling You from Dreamgirls – the ‘really?’, the ‘we’ve heard this so many times before’.

And then that voice. That voice. Just when you thought it couldn’t get bigger or better it did. It was a no-brainer for Simon Cowell to hit the Golden Buzzer – Britain’s Got Talent might have just found its next genuine super-star.

ITV, 8pm

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