Throng

It may have been a surprise when she didn't win Britain's Got Talent but becoming the best-selling debut album in UK chart history certainly isn't.

Susan Boyle's debut album, I Dreamed a Dream, has raced to the top of the charts with 410,000 copies selling in the first week in the UK.

If you're not one of the many who bought Susan's album in its first week you can buy it from

With last night's tearful drama for Hollie Steel provoking sympathy and derision in equal measure across the web and finding its way on to News At 10, tonight's show has a lot to live up to.Read more

Hello BGT fans, it's the last semi-final tonight. Boo hoo hoo. It's all coming to an end. Tomorrow night is the final. EXCITING.

Amanda Holden has said she is going to climax tonight. TMI love.

First up, the Dreambears are 'dancing'. They're sequinned and sparkly, but they're nowt. My Dad and his mates could do their dancing. It's no extraordinary talent. This is all about the novelty of three blokes dicking around for fun. Tonight they're hopping around to It's Raining Men by the Weather Girls. Think naff hen do party.

Simon has buzzed. He ain't bothered. He says they will not do for in front of the Queen.

Piers thinks they are a "guilty pleasure". Ooh err.

Amanda thought it was "credit crunch camp". What's the credit crunchie got to do with it?

They won't get in.

Now is sweet family act Good Evans. If you remember, in the audition Simon said the kids were better than the parents. Eliott the son was incredible. 

Hello BGT fans, sorry about the football yesterday. Rubbish wasn't it? The best of British talent (ahem) is back on. Yay etc.

First up tonight is girl dane group Sugar Free.

There's a Circus theme going on in their performance, evident in their outfits, the big top music, and then Circus by Britney Spears. Yeah they're okay. Well, they're good. I certainly couldn't do it, I'd fall over, but they're not as amazing as the other dance groups that have gone through tonight. They've given it their all, anyway. 

Simon thought they were good but not brilliant. He felt like someone else had helped them with their routine. They insist it was all their doing, but I'm not so sure either.

Piers says they were the best girl dance group in the competition. 

I don't think they were good enough to get through, but we shall see...

Hello BGT fans.

Two more acts need to go through tonight in the third semi-final show. I hope tonightt is a bit better than last night. I'm excited about one or two of the acts tonight. The judges are out, Amanda is looking good and Barbie-like, let's go...

First up, Harmony. They're singing Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cindi Lauper. Oh God this stuff is of my nightmares. I like pink, but this is too much. Too tweenie, for Queenie. She won't like this, it will mean nothing to her. It's chaos disguised as girly frolicking.

These won't get through. And now just because they're the first act and will be easily forgotten. It's the stuff of kid's TV.

Piers is being polite about them.Amanda liked them. Also, being polite. Simon, not mincing words said that they were "atrocious".

Next up Kay Oresanya. The human-saxophone. Simon doesn't know why he is in the semi-finals.

NAMES: John Neill and Sallie Lax
AGES: 76 and 12
FROM: Doncaster
JOB: Retired and student
TALENT: Singers

BACKGROUND :
John and Sallie are a family duo who have been singing together for 2 and a half years. John is part of a male voice choir, and Sallie has performed with the choir on a couple of occasions. John was formerly a singer for 30 years and was initially spotted performing in the local clubs in Sheffield.

He performed all over the country and even worked for 2 summer seasons in Blackpool. He first started performing when he was at school, and was part of a school choir that performed in a schools competition.

NAMES: Samuel Parris, Bobby Barns, Lyle Burrough
AGES: 27, 18 and 19
JOBS: Farmers
TALENT: Wheelbarrow dancing

BACKGROUND:
The barrow boys are all best mates and consist of Sam 27, Bobby 18 and Lyle 20. They have known each other 3 – 4 years and met at the young farmers association  which is a youth scheme aged 10 -26, teaching young people rural skills and how to treat animals.

They only started performing their act in Jan 08 and after performing it at an agricultural show people said they should enter BGT. Their dream would be to win the competition and represent the young farmers association to help raise awareness of its existing 22,000 members nationwide and the rural community.

MEMBERS AGES AND JOBS: x 7 in total
Emma Stacey Cater 23 Hairdresser, Kirsty Dorothy Palmer 18 College, Jemma Louise Elliot 20 Receptionist, Josie Jean Palmer 20 Nursery Assistant, Donna Wendy Jeffery 21 Administrator, Joanna Rebecca Wright 16 at school, Sarah Louise Richards 25 Dancer
FROM: Chelmsford Essex
TALENT: Street Dancers

BACKGROUND:
They first met 10 years ago when they danced together in ballet, tap, modern and jazz at Goodmans Dance School but they became interested in hip hop and (which their dance school did not offer) and so decided to start their own group up as well. The girls danced together for fun for a few years before they decided to start competing locally and Nationally. In 2008 they entered The World Hip Hop Championships in Germany and were crowned 3rd in the World.

AGE: 24
FROM: London
JOB: Student
TALENT: Violinist

BACKGROUND:
Sue has been playing the violin since she was 6 years old. She came over from South Korea when she was 9 to study at the Purcell School of Music. She is still studying music now at Guildhall, specialising in the violin. She is coming on the show because she wants to be like her hero Vanessa Mae. She wants to make classical music more widely appealing. She says a lot of it is stuffy and pretentious and she wants to showcase her semi-classical sound and get more young people excited about studying classical music.

AGE: 17
FROM: Lichfield
JOB: Student
TALENT: Singer

BACKGROUND:
Shaun has been performing on stage since the age of 12 but he has always been a performer and was doing Elvis impressions when he was 4.

He believes that he has a wide range of songs that suit his voice but he has a tenor voice. Shaun wants to be known for having a good voice and would love to perform at the Carling Academy in Birmingham. He just wants to make people happy through his singing.  Shaun’s other big love is rugby which he plays three times a week.

JUDGES COMMENTS:
Simon – YES. Wasn’t expecting that – best singer on the show so far; you’ve got personality, you’ve got a very authentic sound, didn’t sound karaoke – really good
Amanda – YES. Believe in yourself – body language saying no but your voice is saying yes
Piers – YES. Think you could win

NAMES: Nick McQuillen and Sharren Welsh
AGES: 26 and 34
FROM: Sunderland
JOBS: Call Centre worker
TALENT: Street performers

BACKGROUND:
Nick has been experimenting with the ‘weird and wonderful’ for about 4 years. He started by teaching himself to hammer nails up his nose when he got bored in his dad’s garage, and then his mate taught him how to eat fire. He is fascinated by Victorian style sideshow acts and wants to show people the talent involved. He made a pact to learn something new every 2 months, hence why he started lifting objects with his ears. He began with a toaster and then progressed to a kettle. Over time they stretched so that he can now lift and swing a dustbin.

Nick is coming on the show because he wants to ‘bring real variety back’ and do things people haven’t seen before. He admits he loves showing off and his aim is to make the judges cringe and look away.

NAME: Merlin Cadogan
AGE: 35
FROM: Barnstaple, Devon
JOB: Physical performer
TALENT: Escapologist

BACKGROUND:
Merlin has been performing since he was 18 though and travelled the country busking and picking up tricks on the way. He took to juggling and fire handling in particular and developed a variety act that he performed at holiday parks and aboard cruises. He applied to the show as he loves to make people laugh and he really wants to perform for the Queen.

Merlin lives at home in North Devon with his wife Sarah (36), her son Kanace (7) and their daughter Tallulah (3).

JUDGES COMMENTS:
Simon – YES How extreme can you go?
Amanda – YES I thought it was impressive – I think we all know where talent lies
Piers – YES You’re boarding on being a complete loony, need to stay under water for longer

MEMBERS AND AGES: x 34 in total
Jade Slator 16, Faye Campbell 14, Zoe Aden 13, Kirsty Winder 16, Toni Winder 14, Jamie-Lee Wooding 14, Jade Seddon 10, Robyn Gilgannon 13, Lorri Mcllwrath 14, Ashleigh Franey15, Ashliegh Green 18, Rae McKenna 14, Connor Cray 12, Lois O’Brien 10, Jessica Grant 15, Emily Grant 11, Alyssa Riley 16, Robyn Ireland 16, Alvin Christie 14, Georgina Rutland 10, Jessica McGlynn 15, Summer Ditchfield 13, Bria Rutledge 10, Natasha Byrne 16, Kirsty Tee 14, Casey Cain 14, Rikie Kelly 17, Sydnie Sorby 14, Reme Williams 14, Lauren Spencer 15, Abbie Morton 14, Olivia McDowell 14, Claudia Fitzgibbon 12, Claudia Pitter 13.
FROM: Liverpool
JOBS: Students
TALENT Street Dancing

AGE: 36
FROM: Dover, Kent
JOB:
TALENT: Guitar player

BACKGROUND:
Martin’s love for the guitar began when he was 9 years old after his Dad taught him to play. He started up his first band when he was 14 and was forced to sing as nobody else wanted to. He has never had singing lessons but says his voice just matured. He practises playing his guitar every other evening and sees it more of a way of relaxing rather than actually rehearsing. Martin now plays in a band called M3 with his Dad and friend and they play in local pubs and clubs doing 50’s, 60’s and 70’s covers twice a week and the audiences love it. Martin has 12 guitars as well as a whole recording set up which he uses to produce his own backing tracks and music. However he has one favourite guitar which he believes makes him unique; He decided to ‘funk up’ his special guitar with 240 LED lights just to make his act and guitar stand out for the other guitar acts and to give him the ‘Wow factor’.

AGE: 36
FROM: Cornwall
JOB: Street entertainer and carpenter
TALENT: Juggler/street performer

BACKGROUND:
Luke started his hobby of learning to juggle as a kid, intrigued after witnessing weird and wonderful street performers juggling when his family would visit Covent Garden and Paris on trips. After finishing his A Levels an 18 year old Luke went travelling to the Far East. Whilst on his travels a charity worker in Hong Kong saw Luke practising his hobby of juggling and asked him to perform in front of the kids in the refugee camp for charity. Luke agreed and realised that maybe his skill for juggling could earn him some money whilst away.