Dance troupe in BGT final
DANCE troupe MerseyGirls have made an emotional return to the Britain’s Got Talent stage as they earned a place in the grand final of spin-off series The Champions.
It comes less than two years after judge Simon Cowell paid for spinal surgery for member Julia Carlile, who had been told she would never dance again after being treated for scoliosis.
The group earned a place in the final after the judges watched in amazement as Carlile performed back bends and back flips on stage during a high-energy routine.
Discussing her previous appearance on BGT when the group reached the finals in 2017, Carlile said she had never told anyone about her back problems or shown her curved spine to others: “When Simon heard my story he said he would love to help me get my surgery in America so I could dance forever.”
However she explained she had to learn to sit, walk and dance again after the operation.
After watching the performance, judge David Walliams said: “This is really emotional”.
Alesha Dixon, who hit the golden buzzer for the group in 2017, said: “When you did the back flip across stage it made my heart soar,” while Amanda Holden hailed Carlile as “a walking miracle, a dancing, back-flipping miracle”.
Overcome by emotion Carlile replied: “I couldn’t walk two years ago and now I’m here.”
The group were chosen for a place in the final by the live audience of super fans at Wembley, beating hopeful Jai McDowall, who won Britain’s Got Talent in 2011 and last year’s winner Lost Voice Guy.
Joining MerseyGirls in the final will be Germany’s Got Talent winner Alexa Lauenburger and her dancing dogs, who earned their place after hosts Ant & Dec hit the golden buzzer.