A Britain’s Got Talent finalist has revealed what judge Amanda Holden is really like backstage as the ITV final looms on the horizon. The 54-year-old broadcaster has starred on the show as a judge since its conception back in 2007.
Over the years, the blonde bombshell has helped several acts storm their way to victory on the long-running talent show, most recently last year’s winner Sydnie Christmas. The Heart FM radio host awarded the golden buzzer to the 29-year-old singer and helped guide her through the competition. The musician eventually won £250,000 and a slot at the Royal Variety Performance in front of the King.
Now, 2017 finalist Daliso Chaponda has opened up about what it was like to work with the TV star after she awarded him the golden buzzer. In an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, he told us how she is the only presenter who he has kept in touch with since the TV show.
He told us: “Of all the judges, the only one I’ve stayed in touch with is Amanda, not like calling every week but we stay in touch online and I see her at big charity events.
“Amanda was very encouraging, and she would often come and tell me what’s going on backstage. During the show, I didn’t actually speak to any of the judges, I only spoke to them afterwards and I think that’s the interesting thing.”
The Zimbabian-born star went on to reveal how the broadcaster mentored him throughout the competition with her precious words of wisdom.
Daliso explained: “The person who gives you the buzzer will kind of mentor your and come chat to you and give you some good luck and then after the show at the after party is when you’ll speak to the others.”
He also lifted the lid on what it was like to work with comic and axed BGT judge David Walliams. He told us: “I spoke to him a bit and after the show I did a charity show for him so I think he kept me in mind.
“But in the moment, you’re just caught up in the moment. Everything he said about me was encouraging.” Daliso then revealed the best piece of advice head judge Simon Cowell offered him after he lost to pianist Tokio Myers.
The comedian confessed: “In my final I stumbled over a joke which I’ve done thousands of times. The stress just gets in your head but that’s not a problem. It should get in your head. It’s the biggest audience you’ve ever had watch you, it’s going to change your life so it’s okay to be nervous.”
“I remember Simon saying a really interesting thing to me after the show. After the show at the after party he saw me looking a bit down and he was like, ‘You’re not happy because you didn’t win’.
“And I said ‘Yeah, a bit’ and he said, ‘Just wait until tomorrow and see what happens to your phone’. And he was entirely right, my phone was ringing off the hook.
“If you’re a finalist, if you’re fifth, third, second, seventh, you still have a career now because you phone will be ringing off the hook.”
It comes as the TV star teased the upcoming launch of his new book which is set to share spill some of his best-kept secrets about how to make it as a stand-up comic.
The Britain’s Got Talent final airs on Saturday May 31 from 7pm on ITV1 or catch up on ITVX.
