Jon Courtenay on Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) in 2020. Jon, who hails from Mosely near Manchester, introduces himself as a professional performer who has been working since he was about five years old, noting that the Palladium stage is the “Holy Grail” of variety where he used to watch shows with his father .
Jon is a musical comedian and takes his place at the piano to perform an original song that is a witty, self-deprecating, and deeply personal chronicle of his life and journey to the show ]. He cleverly integrates the BGT format into his lyrics, mentioning the judges—David, Alesha, Amanda, and Simon—and past winners like Paul Potts and George Sampson, setting the scene for his own attempt to “make his mark” .
The heart of the performance lies in the emotional reasons behind his audition. He sings about the struggle of being a working performer who has been “thrown out of clubs” and the challenge of being a father who is “just daddy on the phone” . Jon explains that his youngest son, Alfie, asked him: “Dad why not you go and show them what you do” , giving him the push to try out for BGT.
The song builds to a powerful, emotional crescendo as Jon steps out of the third-person narrative to deliver a direct, heartfelt message. He tearfully references his late father, who taught him to play piano but didn’t live to see him perform on TV . Jon concludes by dedicating the performance to his two sons, who always tell him, “You’re the greatest showman, Dad”.
The performance completely moves the judges and the audience, with Ant & Dec, the show hosts, visibly emotional backstage. Amanda Holden, with tears in her eyes, tells Jon, “You’ve made me fall to bits… I just saw a man who kind of made all his dreams come true” . Alesha Dixon praises his creativity, saying the audition had “everything” and left her “moved to tears” .
The audition ends with Ant & Dec making a surprise appearance on stage and gathering around the judges’ desk. They collectively and emphatically press the Golden Buzzer , sending a completely overwhelmed Jon straight through to the live semi-finals. This moment fulfilled a dream for the performer, cementing his status as a frontrunner in the competition.
You can watch the full audition here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqaJrwnZMpo
