Japanese magician Keiichi Iwasaki secured a golden buzzer from Ant and Dec on Britain’s Got Talent with a routine of tricks and illusions which left the audience speechless.
The 49-year-old threw his hands up in the air and shouted in disbelief after the presenting duo ran on-stage to hit the button, which ensures he goes straight through to the live semi-final, and glittering confetti fell from the ceiling.
Iwasaki arrived on-stage with his bicycle and quickly won over the judging panel of Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams with his quirky personality.
He then brought Ant and Dec, who he called “Dec and Ant” to the delight of the audience, on-stage at the London Palladium for a series of card tricks.
Dixon then joined him as his routine culminated with him making a ring hover and spin in the air.
“You are the nicest person we have seen and the most magical person we have seen all combined in one,” said Walliams.
Holden told him: “I love it. You are funny, you are quirky, you were very, very charming and your magic was absolutely excellent.”
Cowell added: “My son is going to love you.”
Saturday night’s episode began with The Dots, a harmony trio who performed a cabaret routine with a twist, who convinced the judges that one of them had been drafted in at short notice after a member quit over “creative differences”.
Their supposed new recruit then proceeded to botch the performance, getting a bloody nose and losing her wig and dress, prompting riotous laughter and a standing ovation from the panel.
They received a unanimous yes from the judges before the singer appeared to collapse on stage, prompting Ant and Dec to comically help pull her into the wings.
Immi Davis, an apparently shy nine nine-year-old from Welwyn Garden City, delivered a surprisingly powerful rendition of I Put A Spell On You by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.
After getting four yeses, Dixon told her: “It’s like you are transformed. You are this cute nine-year-old and then you are like ‘Pow!’ and we were under your spell.”
Cowell was not impressed by entertainer Tommy J, 18, who juggled knives and flaming torches while riding a unicycle, telling him: “You obviously are very talented and you are a nice boy. I just thought nothing was very good.”
However, he still scraped through to the next round.
Elsewhere, eight-year-old schoolgirl Jessica Brodin delivered a variety of animal impressions while reading from her book of poetry, while American strongman JD Anderson, 33, smashed through ice and broke baseball bats.
Last on stage were The Frontline Singers, a choir made up of frontline workers including paramedics and police officers, performing an original song about the coronavirus pandemic.
Their song prompted a tearful response from the audience.
The ITV talent show returned to screens this year for the first time after it was cancelled in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Britain’s Got Talent continues on ITV.
