Amanda Holden reveals why she pressed her Golden Buzzer for Sammy and Honey on BGT

Amanda Holden has revealed why prompted her to press her Golden Buzzer on Saturday night’s edition of Britain’s Got Talent.

The TV judge, 49, chose mother/daughter act Sammy and Honey to sail straight through to the live finals, after being moved by their touching story.

She told MailOnline: ‘Sammy and Honey were just so lovely! It was a mummy and daughter singing act and if I’m being honest the girl reminded me of my eldest daughter. It just got me straight away.

‘I think that it’s their story, the fact that they had to go through cancer together, that they came on stage and Simon really put them through their paces by changing their songs.

‘They came back and they didn’t let it phase them.’

The double-act hit a rough patch during the audition, which made Amanda doubt her decision at first – but she eventually went with her instincts.

‘I started thinking I was going to press my golden buzzer, and then it started to go wrong for them, Simon waded in and I wasn’t sure all of a sudden.

‘Apparently, all the producers on the show caught me looking at the golden buzzer a few times and were like, “Watch out, she’s going to blow!” And eventually, I did.

‘It’s just that feeling you get, it almost forces you to press the buzzer, it’s really hard to explain. I think it was just the entire journey of the audition, their story, and how good I think that we can make them in the finals.

‘I think we’ll do a really good job helping them and they’ll really be able to shine during the live shows.

‘I just loved that it was one of those unpolished acts, I just know there will be mums and their daughters across the country who will connect with them.’

Amanda – who sits on the judging panel for BGT alongside Alesha Dixon, Simon Cowell and David Walliams – teased that she would be pressing her buzzer ahead of the weekend’s episode.

Speaking last week to MailOnline, she said: ‘The act – it’s not one that starts all guns blazing. In fact the audition doesn’t go their way to start with. But it becomes a moment, later there’s a moment, a story…’

Of the fact that the production team were on to her, she elaborated: ‘Apparently the producers knew I was going to [press the buzzer]. I kept thinking it, but I didn’t know. But the producers knew. They apparently called the man to scramble up the ladder to release the ticker tape!’

She laughed: ‘I’d love to tell you it’s all very technical but no, it’s a man who climbs up a ladder!’ 

Amanda also shed some new light on when the Britain’s Got Talent live shows will take place, after the COVID-19 crisis halted production on the current series.

The show has been airing the pre-recorded audition episodes on Saturday nights, as is always the case this time of the year. But with the global pandemic leading to a UK lockdown, the next stage of the competition had to be put on ice, with public gatherings banned and people being made to stay home.

Amanda revealed that producers have tentative plans to film the live finals in the autumn, around the time The X Factor – which is not returning this year – should usually be broadcast.

‘We have got some dates in our diaries,’ Amanda said. ‘It’s difficult because I can’t say when because it’s all TBC. But it’s hopefully looking to be in the early autumn.’

Amanda stressed the importance of having a live studio audience for BGT, and that the show wouldn’t be the same without that atmosphere after the BBC’s autumn powerhouse Strictly Come Dancing have reportedly considered going ahead without a crowd.

‘We just can’t do it without an audience. For this show we need the British public on the stage and behind us in the audience. We need that atmosphere.’

She explained that there will be a catch-up show to remind viewers of the contestants when the show returns later in the year, and that she hopes the world will be ‘in street party mode’ by then, so it can really be enjoyed.  

Looking on the bright side of this happening, she admitted that it’s nice to have the series drawn out over the course of the year.

‘It’s always over so quickly. We show the auditions and then we have the live shows that happen in the space of a week. But doing it this way, there’s something to look forward to later in the year,’ she mused. ‘It’s nice to have it in April/May and the autumn too.’

Britain’s Got Talent continues on Saturday nights on ITV.