Si’s got a sideshow

When it comes to summing up Britain’s Got Talent,I think perhaps David Walliams said it best midway through this year’s auditions: “You don’t know what’s coming, right?” Yeah right, Dave. BGT is now predictable beyond the point of self-parody. The main focus is the sideshow rather than the actual talent. That’s not because we’ve run out of talent. This show is just not searching hard enough.

Instead BGT’s response to falling ratings – this was the second final in a row that failed to draw a 10 millionplus audience – has been to up the distraction. I’m thinking Amanda Holden’s “outfits”, Simon Cowell’s highly-publicised selfless acts of charity or Ant & Dec being lowered on to the stage in gold-crumbed hula hoops (the gymnast’s props, not the crisps – though, given their height, the latter might have worked just as well).

However, despite the final no longer being a huge national event we should praise ITV for at least making much of Saturday’s marathon FEEL like an event.

It was irresistibly exciting and there were some truly eye (and ear) catching performances.

At one point I even thought Tokio Myers – handed the all-important final slot on the bill – might not win.

Tokio deserved his victory but his is already a highly-polished act. Runner-up Izzy Simpson was much more representative of what BGT was originally meant to be all about.

Maybe Cowell should make use of her magic next year – to conjure up new judges to freshen things up.

Two would be a good start. Three would be perfect. POLISHED Tokio Myers