EXCLUSIVE: “It was like a Spice Girls reunion… only singing better!” Simon Cowell takes a hilarious dig at the ’90s girl band as a drag act audition for Britain’s Got Talent
Simon Cowell jokes that a drag ensemble are “better” singers than the Spice Girls in an upcoming audition for Saturday’s episode of Britain’s Got Talent.
The 62-year-old TV judge made the hilarious remark after Damenation – the very first ladies to take the stage at the talent show – made their grand entrance in their eye-catching pantomime dresses, MailOnline has exclusively learned.
His impressed co-star David Walliams gushed before poking fun at the ’90s pop sensation: “I felt like I died and went to heaven!”
Hilarious: Simon Cowell jokes that a drag ensemble are ‘better’ singers than the Spice Girls in an upcoming audition for Saturday’s Britain’s Got Talent
Simon soon chimes in: “It was like a Spice Girls reunion… only better vocals.”
Damenation play rewritten versions of I Will Survive and It’s Raining Men (changed to It’s Raining Dames).
Geri Horner, Mel B (who has worked with Simon on The X Factor and AGT), Emma Bunton and Melanie C last reunited for a series of stadium shows in 2019, minus Victoria Beckham, who hasn’t performed with her bandmates since 2012.
It comes after BGT bosses spoke out in defense of golden buzzer act Keiichi Iwasaki amid a ‘fix’ row after fans discovered he’s auditioned for four more versions of the Got Talent franchise.
Comedian: The TV judge, 62, makes the hilarious remark after Damenation – the first ladies to ever grace the talent show stage – made their grand entrance
The Japanese magician, 49, was awarded the coveted Golden Buzzer by hosts Ant and Dec on Saturday after impressing them with a series of illusionist tricks.
But amid subsequent backlash over his numerous previous auditions, BGT has since shut down the criticism, stating that there are “no rules” saying his previous attempts at success on the shows “should prevent him from applying.”
Ahead of his appearance on the British talent show, Keiichi also tried out the versions in Bulgaria, Germany and Spain, while also reaching the 2016 semifinals of the Italian equivalent using one of the same tricks he showed on Saturday.
Unmissable: They certainly don’t disappoint in their flashy pantomime dresses
Colorful: Before his impressed co-star David Walliams sneers at the ’90s pop sensation, he gushed: “I felt like I died and went to heaven!”
Can’t wait: Damenation perform rewritten versions of I Will Survive and It’s Raining Men (changed to It’s Raining Dames)
A spokesperson told MailOnline: “Like many other entertainers hoping to find success in the industry, Keiichi, a street performer, had auditioned on TV shows in the past.
“There are no rules saying this should prevent him from applying. All acts audition on the same basis and normal program rules apply.’
Addressing the Fix claims head on, they added, “These claims encourage unnecessarily negative trolling against our participants, and ‘Fix’ claims are completely false. We have always been very open about who can apply for BGT.
Gang: Mel B (who worked with Simon on The X Factor and AGT), Emma Bunton, Geri Horner and Melanie C last reunited for a series of stadium shows in 2019 (LR)
“We look forward to our viewers tuning in to show their support for Keiichi.”
Following his audition, some viewers took to Twitter to complain about Keiichi’s previous auditions, with one writing, “Oh look another golden buzzer for yet another professional act the producers in the UK paid for.”
While another raged: “So a former talent act from Italy, Bulgaria and Spain gets the golden buzzer then…hardly a stranger.”
Britain’s Got Talent continues on Saturday at 8pm on ITV.
Coming soon: Britain’s Got Talent continues on Saturday at 8pm on ITV (LR: David, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and Simon)