BRITAIN’S Got Talent semi-finals seem to draw attention seekers pulling stunts – who can forget when a rogue violinist lobbed eggs at judge Simon Cowell?
This year it’s even riskier as Covid has forced the ITV show to have a virtual audience displayed behind judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, David Walliams and guest judge Ashley Banjo.
Because the onlookers are made up of people watching from their sofas, bosses aren’t taking any chances and have introduced a booze ban — so they can’t drink in their own homes.
They’ve also warned them not to indulge in “offensive” behaviour.
A TV insider said: “The bosses want to minimise the risk of anyone having too many drinks and doing something naughty on national TV.
“Another rule is that they can only be seen on screen from the waist up.”
The semi-finals continue this Saturday, but bosses are still dealing with the fallout from last week’s show.
Ofcom received more than 1,000 complaints over the Black Lives Matter-inspired dance by Diversity.
Ashley led the troupe for the performance, in which he was knelt on by a police officer in a reference to the death of George Floyd. Floyd died in the US city of Minneapolis in May after a cop knelt on his neck.
Afterwards, Ashley said: “This performance is extremely special to me and the rest of Diversity. 2020 has been an incredible moment in history for both positive and negative reasons.”
But not everyone approved of the routine. Tweeter Paul Crichton said the show shouldn’t be used “to make a political statement”.
Ashley and the boys were just highlighting an incredibly important issue — and I can’t believe people waste their time complaining about it.
READ ON FOR MORE OF ANDY HALLS’ BIZARRE TV COLUMN
Anita’s charity reboot
ANITA Rani rocks a pair of trendy boots — a far cry from the wellies we’re used to seeing her in on Countryfile.
The presenter showed off her fashionable side to promote TK Maxx’s Give Up Clothes For Good campaign.
It calls for people to donate unwanted clobber and homeware to help raise money for Cancer Research UK.
Anita said: “Something so simple can go such a long way.”
bizbit
BBC2’s two-part documentary Britain’s Biggest Dig will follow a team of archaeologists as they investigate the new HS2 rail route. The show, which airs on September 15, films the two largest digs, in London and Birmingham.
Ferry’s flash for Tom
CELEBS Go Virtual Dating’s receptionist Tom Read Wilson gave Chloe Ferry a warm welcome — and she gave him a right eyeful.
The E4 show’s dating agent Anna Williamson recalled the encounter with gay Tom: “Chloe had flashed him.
“I don’t think he knew whether he was coming or going!
“She scared our Tom. He doesn’t see noonies — but that day he did.”
Anna admitted she always heard the gossip relating to the agency — eventually.
She said: “It’s like I’m an old nan. I’m the agent on this show and yet I’m the last to bloody well know anything.”
bizbit
LINE Of Duty’s Adrian Dunbar will host Channel 5 series Scenic Ireland. The two-parter will see him climb to the summit of sea crag Skellig Michael and swap stories with fishermen as he explores his homeland.
I’m Shore glad you told us
AS if they hadn’t humiliated themselves enough already on our TV screens, the bonking and boozing cast of Geordie Shore are about to reveal secrets they’ve been keeping under wraps.
In spin-off series Geordie Shore: Their Story, a different cast member will share the tale of their rise to fame while reminiscing about their formative years as children.
Marnie Simpson, Holly Hagan, Charlotte Crosby and Sophie Kasaei are among the cast who will star in the MTV show, which starts next Tuesday at 10pm.
They’ll be joined by Aaron Chalmers, Gary Beadle, Nathan Henry, Abbie Holborn and James Tindale.
I reckon some things are kept secret for a reason . . .
bizbit
STRANGER Things star Maya Hawke was kicked out of school for being dyslexic. Uma Thurman’s daughter said: “Every grade that went by, you got dropped down into a lower reading group. And there’s bullying.”
New day, new ‘Dale
EMMERDALE is set to be shaken up as a host of new characters join the ITV soap.
The village will become home to Manpreet’s sister Meena (Paige Sandhu), who sets her sights on Billy.
Moira Dingle is also getting a new addition to her on-screen family in the form of brother Mackenzie (Lawrence Robb), with whom she shares a dark past.
Meanwhile, her nephew Aaron Dingle is faced with his past as a bully when he starts working with Ben (Simon Lennon) at the Hide Cafe.
Serial bore
DAVID Tennant’s wife Georgia Moffett wasn’t too pleased about him bringing his work home as he played serial killer Dennis Nilsen for drama Des.
But David said she was just bored of hearing about the central character on the show, which airs on ITV on Monday.
He told the Radio Times: “The run-up to filming, when you are steeped in research, reading everything and watching everything and talking to people about your character – that’s the time when Georgia was likely to ask, ‘Are you ever going to talk about anything else?’”
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