Simon Cowell hails Whitney Houston tribute act on Britain’s Got Talent

Simon Cowell hailed a Whitney Houston tribute singer as “the moment we’ve been waiting for” as the Britain’s Got Talent auditions came to an end.

Belinda Davids, 43, from Cape Town, South Africa, closed the show with her rendition of Houston’s hit One Moment In Time to a standing ovation from the judges and audience.

Judge David Walliams told her: “You created such a massive moment tonight for all of us,” while Alesha Dixon told her: “What a way to close an amazing run of auditions with a class act.

“I want to see the name Belinda Davids in lights.”

Cowell continued: “This was a fantastic end to a fantastic tour, I absolutely adore you.”

He later told Holden: “I love her, that was the moment we’ve been waiting for.”

Filming on the next stage of Britain’s Got Talent has been postponed because of the coronavirus crisis but ITV has said it hopes to continue the series later this year.

During the final audition episode the judges were left stunned by a magician who performed a magic trick using his phone calculator.

Damien O’Brien, 34, from London, was given a standing ovation after the judges were left open-mouthed by his performance.

Cowell told him: “I think you are incredibly talented, I think you’re very cool and very relevant, I think people are going to like you.”

Walliams added: “You created something totally new and very modern because magic can often feel quite old fashioned.”

The judges were also impressed by Imen Siar, 21, from Croydon, who sang Scars To Your Beautiful by Alessia Cara and said: “My dream is to inspire the Muslim girls in my community.”

Cowell told her: “You just made that song your version.”

He added: “You have a great energy about you and you’re very humble and this is one of those auditions that I’m going to remember and I do believe there is more to come from you.”