Wendy the talking dog may have sparked controversy among viewers, but she and owner Marc Metral are through to the live semi-final of Britain’s Got Talent.

After seeing hundreds of acts at auditions held around the country, judges Simon Cowell, David Walliams, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden have whittled them down to just 45.

French ventriloquist Metral is among the semi-finalists, along with Siberian light performers U.D.I. who blew the audience away with their innovative act.

Burlesque dance troupe The Ruby Red Performers from Hull, whose ages range from 25 to 64, will also be among those competing for the public vote to secure a place in the live grand final and the chance of winning the £250,000 cash prize and the opportunity to perform at the Royal Variety Performance.

The youngest semi-finalist is nine-year-old martial artist Jesse Jane McParland from Northern Ireland, while the eldest this year is 73-year-old magical entertainer Jeffrey Drayton from Norfolk, along with his puppet Chantel.

Also among the 45 semi-finalists are the judge’s individual Golden Buzzer acts.

Simon Cowell chose 26-year-old singer Calum Scott, from Hull, while Amanda Holden pushed her Golden Buzzer for London choir Revelation Avenue.

Ant and Dec chose dancers Boyband and Alesha Dixon selected young dance troupe Entity Allstars to go straight through to the semi-final.

David Walliams championed eccentric singer Lorraine Bowen, 53, who sang and played the keyboard on an ironing board.

Ageing dancers Old Men Grooving, contortionist Bonetics and 17-year-old dancer Dylan Byrd also made it through.

Simon Cowell fell for a cute dog. The TV judge, once dubbed Mr Nasty, blew kisses at seven-year-old Border Collie Matisse to get his attention when he walked on to the stage. Cowell had the audience laughing as he asked the dog: “Who’s a good boy?”

The judges were also treated to performances from The Kaneh Masons – six brothers and sisters from Nottingham who perform a classical music piece on piano, cello and violin – and five-piece tap dancing group Beat Brothers, who tried to win David Walliams’s vote by flashing some flesh.

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