Singer Tom Ball and comedian Eva Abley secure spots in BGT final

Singer Tom Ball and comedian Eva Abley have secured spots in the Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) final on Sunday after the third live semi-final show.

The two acts advanced to the final of the ITV talent competition following a night of electrifying performances, which also saw past winners Diversity deliver a striking dance routine about the digital age.

Ball was put straight through after receiving the most audience votes.

Abley, who has cerebral palsy, went head-to-head with Japanese magician Keiichi Iwasaki but judges David Walliams, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden all voted to put her through.

School girl Abley, 14, had the judges and audiences in stitches of laughter with her comedic timing by poking fun at her condition which affects her speech and movement.

Walliams said she was his “favourite act of the week by a mile”, describing her as “so loveable” but applauded her “lethal” jokes which took aim at judge Simon Cowell.

While secondary school teacher Ball secured his spot after a powerful rendition of Rise Like A Phoenix by Eurovision star Conchita Wurst, which won the Austrian singer the song contest in 2014.

Magician Iwasaki had initially secured a place in the semi-final after presenting duo Ant and Dec awarded him their golden buzzer after his first audition.

During the show, he performed a dazzling magic routine which saw him arrive on stage on a bicycle, but it was not quite enough to secure him a place in the final.

Also among the eight semi-finalists was acrobatic group The Freaks who shocked the audience and judges with dramatics and pyrotechnics.

Dance troupe Les Sancho also fought for a place with a matrix inspired routine, with some wearing black suits and others in long black trench coats and glasses, however, Cowell was not a fan and gave their performance a red buzzer.

Nine-year-old schoolgirl Immi Davis gave a powerful performance of Bishop Briggs’ hit single River, while the harmony trio The Dots delivered a slapstick musical theatre style number.

Dane Bates Collective also missed out on a place after performing an emotive contemporary dance routine to Don’t Give Up On Me by Andy Grammer.

Former BGT winners Diversity delivered a striking performance which paid homage to the digital age and how social media has connected us.

The routine also referenced the 24,000 complaints made to Ofcom about their Black Lives Matter-inspired routine which they performed on the show in 2020. It went on to win the must-see moment at the 2021 TV Bafta Awards, which is voted for by the public.

Following Wednesday’s performance, the group’s lead dancer Ashley Banjo thanked everyone for “having our backs” when they were crowned 13 years ago and in recent years.

Impressionist Ben Nickless and musical duo Flintz and Taylor previously made it through to the final after successful performances during last night’s semi-final.

While busker Maxwell Thorpe and 13-year-old ventriloquist Jamie Leahey secured their places in the final after their performances during Monday’s show.