The live final of the ITV talent competition saw pianist and singer-songwriter Tokio Myers, 32, crowned the winner, but much attention was drawn to eight-year-old comic Ned’s performance earlier in the evening.
He astounded the panel in his first audition when he quipped about Amanda Holden, 46, calling her a “dog” in a biting joke, and seemed to continue his acidic humour in the finale.
After stumbling over his lines initially, the young comedian hit his stride as he began to roast everyone from Take That star Gary Barlow, 46, to Simon Cowell himself.
“You’ve gotta love shows like Britain’s Got Talent and X Factor,” he said. “Where else do you get to see that tedious singing robot, Gary Barlow?”
The audience gasped in shock, although Simon, 57, looked entertained at Ned’s bold comedy.
He then went on to take aim at One Direction, joking: “One Direction have gone their separate ways. That’s ironic!
“For those of you who don’t know what ironic means,” he continued. “It’s like these guys judging a talent competition.”
Amanda didn’t seem convinced by some of Ned’s close-to-the-knuckle lines, glancing over at her fellow Britain’s Got Talent judges with a slightly perturbed expression on multiple occasions.
But it was the viewers at home that really seemed to take issue as they rushed to social media to criticise his routine.
“This kid Ned reminds me of a young Frankie Boyle,” one tweeted. “Rude and unfunny!”
Another branded Ned a “brat”, complaining that he “obviously needs to learn his dad’s jokes better”.
“Ned was just flat out rude tonight,” a third added, while another social media user blasted: “Feeling uncomfortable about Ned on #BGT – not clever or funny to be rude but he is the child – it’s his parent’s judgement to allow it.”
Simon, however, was extremely positive about the routine, announcing at the end: “I’ve got to hand it to you, you’ve stuck to what you’ve done from day one.
“You’ve taken the pee out of us, it has worked, you are funny,” he added.
Daily Express :: TV and Radio Feed
