Don't Lose Your Marbles

Earlier yesterday afternoon I attended a summer fete in the village of White Ladies Aston. For geography nuts, it's a the small village situated 3-4 miles east of Worcester.

I will confess it's one of the best summer fetes I have ever visited, they have got so much going on. They have the usual things. Such as, white elephant stall, raffle, bottle tombola (more on that in a bit), children's tombola, book stall and cake/jam stall. However, they have got additional things such as splat the rat, mystery item, mystery bottle, play your cards right and target football. This fete has one special game in particular which I haven't seen anywhere else. It's called Don't Lose Your Marbles.

Given I have been to White Ladies Aston in previous years. Although I missed the event in 2012. They always
have this game. Given the concept it could be taken the rule books of The Cube but more likely from Minute to Win It. The game features a ceramic flower pot with a hole on it's base (see picture), many small marbles in a small plastic dish, medium sized wicker bowl and a tablespoon. The flower pot is placed upside down inside the bowl, so the hole is visible. The aim of the game is place as many marbles into the hole of the flower pot by transporting the marbles via the tablespoon within 30 seconds. However, you can only use one hand to move the marbles. Given the physics, it's very likely the marbles will slide off the base of the flower pot, since the base has a small surface area. Although you have to use one hand, you can use the spoon to knock in any marbles down the hole if they're resting on the base of the pot. The distance between the flower pot and the dish of marbles is only 5-7cm apart but you will need to lift the marbles from the dish into the flower pot as the dish holding the marbles are smaller in height. When the 30 seconds run out any marbles outside the flower pot will be excluded and any that landed inside will be counted towards your total. They had two leagues set up, one for children, the other adults. When I tried there was only one score registered with 58. After my go I managed to score only 56. I will confess I did play this game in 2011 but couldn't remember my previous score. Given the whole set up, I wonder if there is a perfect strategy? If you go slowly you could be more accurate but not many marbles will be deposited. If you quickly, it would be down to physics itself to see where the marbles would go.

I did enter the bottle tombola since they have a good selection on offer. When I entered in 2010 I managed to win a 70cl bottle of Barcardi. This time I paid for 9 tickets and given I have no luck at all. I ended up winning the following.

Happy Shopper vegetable oil (are Happy Shopper still around?),
Glitter berry J20,
Persil washing up liquid,
Small bottle of Smirnoff Ice Vodka.

My mother also had a go, she paid for 3 tickets. All she won was a bottle of Dr Pepper. Her first response, "I hate Dr. Pepper".

My Addiction With Wetherspoon's

For those who don't know me. I have visited a number of Wetherspoon's pubs around the country. For readers outside the UK. You can say it's a small addiction.

Wetherspoon's is basically a chain of pubs. Like McDonalds, KFC, Subway etc... but rather than serving fast food. Wetherspoon's specialises in cheap alcoholic drinks and meals. The reason I have visited a few Wetherspoon's on my travels is basically what I've said in my last sentence. They do very cheap meals. Depending which one you're in you can have a beef burger with salad (lettuce, onion, and tomato), chips, relish and a drink for only £4.19. With the drink included the price, it can be either a soft drink like a Pepsi or it can be an alcoholic drink like a pink of Strongbow cider. If you think about it. Given their alcoholic drinks range from £2 upwards. You're only paying around £2 extra for a burger and chips. I also approve of their steak deals on Tuesdays, where you can have a rump steak and a drink for around £6.39 but if you pay an extra £2 you can have a bowl of scampi making it a surf and turf. So for around £8 ish you can have a surf and turf. Compared to some pubs that have surf and turf with prices of £10 plus.

I think the small addiction started when I visited The Crown in Worcester in 2006 as a birthday meal from work. It sort of started from there. When we travel around the country as a family, mostly on the weekends we tend to stop at the local Wetherspoon's for lunch. When we were holidaying in Torbay for a number of years self catering, we've visited The London Inn in Torquay a number of times.

I know JD Wetherspoon's have mixed opinions with the public but the fact is their business is booming and they're keeping the faithful pub alive. Given the closure of many pubs over the years. Their menus are set up that tells you how many calories each meal contains. To help the small eater, they have meals with low calories like sweet chilli noodles.

The reason I have decided to blog about Wetherspoon's is down to a running joke at work. Someone I will not name told me I should write a book about them since I've visited so many. The fact is I haven't visited every one of their 800 plus pubs across the UK but I have visited a small percentage of them.

Racking my brains. Here are the Wetherspoon's pubs I have visited over the years.

The Crown - Worcester
The Postal Order - Worcester
The Abraham Derby - Merry Hill Shopping Centre
The Golden Bee - Stratford Upon Avon
The Golden Cross Hotel - Bromsgrove
The Royal Hop Hole Hotel - Tewkesbury
The Bank House - Cheltenham Spa
The Regal - Gloucester
The Dragon Inn - Weston Super Mare
The London Inn - Torquay
The Vigilance - Brixham
The Powder Monkey - Exmouth
The Moon in the Square - Bournemouth
The Tyburn - London
The Bright Helm - Brighton
Cornfield Garage - Eastbourne
The Welkin - Liverpool
The Central Bar - Cardiff
The Royal Enfield - Redditch

The Royal Enfield at Redditch is the latest one I visited today. Making it my 19th Wetherspoon's pub. Each one I visited does have it's differences.

The Royal Hop Hole in Tewkesbury is classed a listed building and have been told by the staff they're not allowed to fry any food. Meaning the chips served are oven baked. According to my mother, The Royal Hop Hole is similar to The Pack Horse (now known as The Courtyard) in Worcester. The Regal in Gloucester is a converted cinema where the screen is replaced by a massive window. The Welkin is the smallest one I have visited and can be very cramped. As it was when I was in there in September 2012. The Bank House has two bars, one on the ground floor the other on the first floor. I was at The Central Bar in Cardiff when Wales played Australia at the Millennium Stadium. Cornfield Garage in Eastbourne is a converted garage.The London Inn in Torquay has a dance floor in their entrance. While The Royal Enfield has karaoke on Monday evenings. It's also a fact that my last visit to London in April had The Tyburn running out of plates had had to resort to using that looks like chopping boards.

I'm not whether it's a myth but it seems most Wetherspoon's has their toilets on another floor that is not on the same floor as the bar. The ones in Cheltenham, Worcester (Postal Order) and London are in the basement. Whilst the one in Stratford Upon Avon, Torquay, Liverpool and Cardiff are upstairs above the bar.

I'm not the only one who has an addiction with Wetherspoon's pubs. My mother has a similar addiction with one of their meals. It all started last autumn when The Golden Bee in Stratford Upon Avon had a trail run with selling hotdog meals. Similar to their burger deals. You can have a footlong smoked hotdog with chips and drink for around £4.19/£5.19 depending which pub you're in. She claims to say it's like the old days of the 1970s. Due to a successful trial at Stratford and other pubs, they've rolled out the hotdog nationwide as from April this year. Given the national rollout, every time she goes in a Wetherspoon's that is not in Stratford, 99% of the time she will order that hotdog.

I will confess that there are two other pubs I do enjoying visiting. The Retreat in Norton outside Worcester and The Wheelbarrow Castle in Radford but with towns and cities. You cannot beat a quick meal at a Wetherspoons.

Last Night's Telly - Britain's Got Talent Final

So Attraction won. The shadow theatre group from Hungary became the seventh winners of ITV's major talent competition. They secured a £250,000 cash prize, a spot on the Royal Variety Performance and anything else Syco Entertainment comes up with.

There has been a lot of negative talk on the internet saying they shouldn't have entered because they're not British. Unfortunately the rules state that anybody in the European Union who can work in the United Kingdom can apply for the show. Foreigners winning British shows isn't the norm these days. We've had Nadia Almada winning Big Brother, she is Portuguese. Shilpa Shetty winning Celebrity Big Brother, she is an Indian national. Also the first winner of Britain's Best Dish was a curry that originated from India.

As with all ITV shows that asks the viewer to phone in and vote for their favourite contestant. The voting percentages are published to the public. Here is the voting breakdown of all the semi finals.

Semi Final 1:

Richard & Adam - 66.0%
Arisxandra Libantino - 13.4%
Youth Creation - 7.2%
Aaron Crow - 5.6%
Philip Green - 3.3%
Band of Voices - 1.9%
J - Unity - 1.5%
Bosom Buddies - 1.0%
Martin Healey - 0.1%

Semi Final 2:

Jack Carroll - 42.5%
Gabz Gardiner - 22.6%
Jack & Cormac - 15.0%
Alice Fredenham - 12.3%
McKnasty - 2.7%
MD - 2.3%
Meat Diva - 1.5%
Martin & Marielle - 0.6%
Modupe - 0.5%

Semi Final 3:

Luminites - 35.6%
Pre Skool - 16.9%
Joseph Hall - 16.4%
Rosie O'Sullivan - 15.4%
Robbie Kennedy - 12.6%
MC Boy - 0.9%
Freelusion - 0.9%
Stevie Pink - 0.7%
Thomas Bounce - 0.6%

Semi Final 4:

Francine Lewis - 23.2%
Alex Keirl - 21.4%
Asanda Jezile - 19.4%
James More - 14.3%
AJ & Chloe - 12.7%
Shockarellas - 3.4%
Chasing The Dream - 2.2%
Poppin' Ron - 2.1%
Club Town Freaks - 1.3%

Semi Final 5:

Attraction - 59.1%
Jordan O'Keefe - 15.1%
Steve Hewlett - 12.0%
Aliki - 6.6%
Gospel Singers Incognito - 2.5%
Maarty Broekman - 2.0%
CEO Dancers - 1.2%
Glambassadors - 1.1%
Rob's Duelling Pianos - 0.4

Two observations. The first being in the third semi final with the percentages being so close between second and fourth place. Joseph Hall lost out to Pre Skool by a mere 0.5%. Also in the fourth semi final. Had the judges vote went to Deadlock, then we would see Alex Keirl reaching the final and not Asanda.

As for the final last night. Here is the final voting breakdown.

Attraction - 27.0%
Jack Carroll - 20.1%
Richard & Adam - 15.4%
Steve Hewlett - 14.7%*
Luminites - 6.8%
Jordan O'Keefe - 3.7%
Gabz Gardiner - 3.6%
Arisxandra Libantino - 2.9%
Pre-Skool - 2.8%
Francine Lewis - 2.0%
Asanda Jezile- 1.2%

* Steve Hewlett was the wildcard chosen by the judges.

If you remember last week's blog post. Apart from the wildcard, where it wasn't revealed who they were. I predicted where the acts would end up in the final public vote. Here is what I predicted to what the public actually voted for.

Name of Act	Official Voting Public Finish	My Predicted Finish
Attraction	1st	1st
Jack Carroll	2nd	2nd
Richard & Adam	3rd	4th
Luminites	4th	5th
Jordan O’Keefe	5th	7th
Gabz Gardiner	6th	3rd
Arisxandra Libantino	7th	10th
Pre Skool	8th	8th
Francine Lewis	9th	6th
Asanda Jezile	10th	9th

Out of a possible ten predictions. I secured three predictions correctly. Also three other acts where I predicted their outcome, I was one place out.

Observations. Very surprised to see Francine Lewis finishing second from bottom. Her act wasn't as a good as her semi final but her final performance was better than a number of other acts who performed last night. Francine's decline from winning semi final 4 to tenth place could lead to the viewers knowing she has done TV work before and doesn't deserve to win.

Pleased to see Steve Hewlett and Arthur Lager finish a respectable fourth as the wildcard act. Given The Dark Lord robbed him of his semi final place a week last Friday. The other three judges ganged up on him and chose him as the wildcard act. Also a sign of sweet vengeance. Hewlett continued to mock Cowell even more with his grand final performance.




Credit also goes to Richard & Adam who continued singing whilst protester Natalie Holt came onto the stage from the orchestra to throw eggs at The Dark Lord.

I felt the grand final as a whole wasn't as good as last year. It was more like the 2010 final where it produced an anticlimax. Back then, Spelbound were the runaway favourites before the semi finals started and they went on to win it. Same applied with Attraction. Bookies favourites before the semi finals started and ended up as overall winners. It was worth noting the bookies odds for Jack Carroll began to shorten by a large margin after his performance but he wasn't even close with the final voting percentage. Most of the final performances didn't top their semi final performance. Attraction decided to adapt an "appropriate" British theme for the final but was no where as good as the tear jerker performances in the semi final and their theatre audition. Gabz Gardiner, although she performed a new song. She still broke into her one trick pony with that song about playing with lighters. Richard & Adam had the odd glitch at the start. Something the Dark Lord picked up. Jack Carroll wasn't as brutal joke wise as his semi final gig. He mocked The Voice last night but that is old hat now. Francine Lewis. She produced new impressions but the Katie Price song was cringe-worthy. Not a fan of the 11 year old singers. Jordan O'Keefe. I've said he didn't deserve to be in the final but the young girls liked him. I think the night should go to Steve Hewlett. His wildcard performance had me in stitches and as stated, pleased to see him finish a credible fourth place.

On the More Talent show. Stephen Mulhern revealed the predictions on what the judges, Ant & Dec and himself thought who would win. The predictions were written down at the Top 45 reveal stage.

David Walliams - The Duelling Pianos
Alesha Dixon - Francine Lewis
Amanda Holden - Alice Fredenham
Simon Cowell - Alice Fredenham or Jack Carroll
Ant McPartlin - Alice Fredenham
Dec Donnelly - Alice Fredenham
Stephen Mulhern - Francine Lewis

Interesting that four out of the seven people went for Alice Fredenham. Although she failed to reach the grand final.

Question is whether any of the finalists will have a future after last night. Looking at the eleven finalists.

Attraction - With the £250,000 prize secured and performing on the Royal Variety Show. Their act can only go so far. They cannot make money from DVDs but can from performing shows worldwide. The American market is different to the European one but will they like it?

Jack Carroll - We could see him appear on a television show in the not too far distant future. He will certainly support many comedians as a warm up act. Wouldn't be surprised if Syco Entertainment signs him up, Same goes to Avalon who have signed major comedians like Harry Hill and Al Murray on their books.

Richard & Adam - Possibly a record deal but they need to improve on their voices. The Dark Lord can help them with that.

Luminites - Similar to Richard & Adam, possibly a record deal for them.

Jordan O’Keefe - Not sure. Could be back to reality for him.

Gabz Gardiner - Could make a record with THAT song but nothing more.

Arisxandra Libantino - Back to reality for her. She'll be forgotten in a matter of weeks.

Pre Skool - Like Nu Skool last year. They'll fizzle into obscurity.

Francine Lewis - Given she has had television work for Channel 4. The only future for her is the comedy circuit.

Asanda Jezile (surprised nobody on the internet made a cruel joke and called her Asanda Jezebel) - With Arisxandra. She'll be forgotten in a matter of weeks.

Steve Hewlett - Could get a one-off TV show. Otherwise it would back to the comedy circuit and places like Butlins.

That's it for another year... 


One final note. Can someone fine this twat of a Morrison's judge for parking in front of these disabled spaces.

Thank goodness those Morrisons judges can now feck off. Especially the one sitting on the left with his "circles of love".

Watching Telly: What is Wrong With Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Part 2

Small update to my main blog post (click here) last month. The third show aired on 28th May. Just to say nothing amazing happened, it was the same mess as the previous two shows. To compare the three specials from 2012 and 2013.





The People Play 2012

Show Appeared	Contestant Name	Final Winnings	Number Of Questions Seen
1	Tahir Ali	£20,000	7
1	Caroline Polledri	£10,000	6
1/2	Dawn Harkins	£75,000	9
2	Russell Brown	£20,000	7
2	Donna Hearnden	£50,000	8
2/3	Denise Allsop	£50,000	8
3	Tommy Gibbons	£20,000	7
3	Monica Utting	£20,000	7

Total winnings - £265,000

Average winnings per contestant - £33,125

The People Play 2013

Show Appeared	Contestant Name	Final Winnings	Number Of Questions Seen
1	Simone Lazarus	£10,000	6
1	Mark Silverwood	£10,000	6
1	Pat Simpson	£1,000	7
1/2	Stuart Hurren	£1,000	4
2	Dionne Askew	£20,000	7
2	Martin Fisher	£1,000	4
2	Hayley Brown	£1,000	6
2/3	Oli Haley	£5,000	5
3	Shirley Asare	£10,000	6
3	Bryan Sellers	£20,000	7
3	Madge El-Bushra	£1,000	7

Total winnings - £80,000

Average winnings per contestant - £7,272

As noticed, this year's specials have suffered a massive decline to last year. Firstly the average winnings at £7.272 is the lowest average for a series in the history of the UK version. Also by a large margin, as the previous lowest series average was £17,600, achieved in spring 2010. The final series before the clock was introduced. In addition to what was mentioned on the main blog post. The viewer prize was worth £90,000 in total. Eleven contestants failed to win a combination to match the prize value. As well as nobody winning £50,000 on the show itself. The viewer prize included £50,000 in cash.

I have already explained the problems the show is experiencing in the hands of Victory Television. However, I am not one to defend Celador in all their glory. I have participated on Lewis Murphy's Fifty50 podcast. Where I talk about the show as a whole but mentioning problems in the Celador era. Including syndicates, dodgy rules and even repeating of questions. You can listen to it via here.

Just Read: Pudsey: My Autobidography by Pudsey the Dog

Counting down to the final of this year's Britain's Got Talent Grand Final (you can see the line up here). I have been reading the official biography of the 2012 winner. Ashleigh and Pudsey. Well, more Pudsey the dog.

The book covers Pudsey's view from when he was born, being given to Ashleigh as a gift. Being trained through agility courses and entering Britain's Got Talent. This doesn't cover the Royal Variety Performance as the book was published in October 2012. However, the book is more of a story than a life history, as the actual author, Matt Whyman (he is credited in the book) writes the book similar to The Sheep Pig. Where animals have got a voice. To get around the fact animals cannot speak Whyman writes the book where Pudsey talks to the Border Collies, Obi abd Indi. The guinea pigs who are lead by Smidgit and the neighbour's ginger tom cat. Handsome Brad. Apart from Handsome Brad, the other animals live with Ashleigh and Pudsey in the real world. We get to learn how Pudsey gets his motivation to try to dance but also the scheming Handsome Brad who tries to stop him making his dream.

I will confess the book's format does sound silly but it does work as a young adult book. Given Matt Whyman is credited inside the book as the actual author. Whyman  has got a history of writing young adult books. So writing this is nothing to him. Unlike other books, I got through this in a matter of days. As stated, this is a perfect book for young children as it mixes the fictional elements of the talking animals with the real life settings of the  Pudsey household. I did have thoughts of "what the hell am I reading" but it had some light moments. Especially between Pudsey and Handsome Brad. It's not the best book in the world but it's decent.

Would I recommend this book to you? To young readers, yes. I wouldn't rush to read it, given the silly concept if anybody older wants to read it.

I gave Pudsey: My Autobidography 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

Next to read: Client (Stanley Hastings #5) by Parnell Hall

Last Night's Telly: Britain's Got Talent: The Top 10.

Semi final week on Britain's Got Talent are now wrapped up and in the bag. Eleven acts will contest for the grand final next Saturday in order to win £250,000, a performance on the Royal Variety Performance in December and possibly other goodies from The Dark Lord. Here is a run down on who the ten finalists are, their semi final performance and their chances on winning the final. Please note these predictions are based on the ten finalists and not the eleventh wildcard act as it's unknown to who the wildcard is.

Richard and Adam

Who are they?
Sandwich making brothers who can do opera.

Semi final result: Won the public vote on semi final 1
Bookie Watch: 10/1
Predicted finish: 4th

Arixsandra Libantino

Who is she?
11 year old R&B singer who performed the controversial song One Night Only at her theatre audition.

Semi final result: Won the judges vote after gaining most the most votes via deadlock on semi final 1.
Bookie Watch: 100/1
Predicted finish: 10th

Jack Carroll

Who is he?
14 year old sit down comedian who suffers from cerebral palsy,

Semi final result: Won the public vote on semi final 2
Bookie Watch: 7/2
Predicted finish: 2nd

Gabz Gardiner

Who is she?
14 year old piano player and rapper who wrote a song about playing with lighters.

Semi final result: Won the judges vote on semi final 2
Bookie Watch: 80/1
Predicted finish: 3rd

Luminites

Who are they?
Four member pop band.

Semi final result: Won the public vote on semi final 3
Bookie Watch: 16/1
Predicted finish: 5th

Pre Skool

Who are they?
Young dance troupe. Got their inspiration from last year's Nu Skool.

Semi final result: Won the judges vote after gaining most the most votes via deadlock on semi final 3.
Bookie Watch: 100/1
Predicted finish: 8th

Francine Lewis

Who is she?
Impersonator who appeared on Channel 4's Very Important People.

Semi final result: Won the public vote on semi final 4
Bookie Watch: 40/1
Predicted finish: 6th

Asanda Jezile

Who is she?
11 year old R&B singer who performed the controversial song Diamonds at her theatre audition. Very similar to Arixsandra Libantino

Semi final result: Won the judges vote on semi final 4
Bookie Watch: 100/1
Predicted finish: 9th

Attraction

Who are they?
Shadow theatre group from Hungary.

Semi final result: Won the public vote on semi final 5
Bookie Watch: 1/3
Predicted finish: 1st

Jordan O'Keefe

Who is he?
Guitar player and singer.

Semi final result: Won the judges vote after gaining most the most votes via deadlock on semi final 5.
Bookie Watch: 66/1
Predicted finish: 7th

As for the wildcard. It is yet to be confirmed until next Saturday. There are three acts who are up for contention.

Alice Fredenham

Who is she?
Singer who is very similar to Amy Winehouse. Appeared on The Voice UK earlier this year but didn't get picked. Quoted by The Dark Lord "your voice is like liquid gold/platinum".

If Cowell has his way then he will certainly choose her for the eleventh act. The problem I see behind this is the number of singing acts in the final. There are already six and the public certainly don't want a seventh. Another problem that was featured in her semi final performance. She tends to let herself down saying her performance isn't brilliant. Lack of confidence there.

Joseph Hall

Who is he?
Solo dancer who won BBC One's Strictly Dance Fever in 2005. Lost out to the public vote when it went to deadlock on semi final 3.

The whole point with the grand final is having a good set of variety acts. With an act like this would suit as we haven't got a solo dancer in the final. Also he surprised everyone with his third place finish. Proving the bookies wrong.

Steve Hewlett

Who is he?
Ventriloquist, who has a puppet called Arthur Lager. Was robbed by The Dark Lord's inflated ego to sign up singers on semi final 5.

Cowell pissed off most of the British public last night. The judges face off was between Hewlett and guitar player Jordan O'Keefe. With Hewlett leading the vote 2-1, Cowell went on to say "I would like the act that I want in the final and that is Jordan". By taking the vote to deadlock, it would be near impossible for Hewlett to win. Cowell seems to know the public vote in advance as Piers Morgan pointed this out in his book, God Bless America: Misadventures of a Big Mouth Brit. In the first series, Cowell knew Paul Potts won the final but fooled him by saying it was Connie Talbot. Also Cowell confessed last night he isn't a fan of ventriloquist acts. His inflated ego tends to choose singers as they can make money from his record label compared to a guy with a puppet. Given what happened last night. Unless his ego takes over the other judges and picks Alice Fredenham. Steve Hewlett has a good chance of winning the wildcard slot.

Bookie Watch: 40/1 wildcard winner

Apart from the wildcard, there are six singing acts competing in the grand final next Saturday. I said on last week's blog post."This could lead to a dangerous thing. we could have an all singing final on 8th June." Out of ten acts available, we got six singing acts and if Alice Fredenham  wins the wildcard that would be make it seven out of eleven. If you look at grand finals from previous years.

2007 - Three out of six acts were singers
2008 - Four out of ten acts were singers
2009 - Five out of ten acts were singers
2010 - Four out of ten acts were singers
2011 - Four out of ten acts were singers
2012 - Seven out of eleven acts were singers

There is a possibility next Saturday could duplicate last year's final and if that does happen then a singer might not win it by cancelling them out. Those who remember, dog act Ashleigh and Pudsey beat opera duo Jonathan and Charlotte to the £500,000 prize. It does amaze me on last night's semi final David Walliams said "we're starting to get tired of seeing guitar/singing acts." Then why did you and the other judges pick five guitar/singing acts for the semi finals?

Since it's debut in 2007, we have had a different style of act winning it each year. Unlike the Americans who tend to choose singers on America's Got Talent. They even picked a guitarist/singer for two consecutive seasons! It would be nice to have another different style of act to go along the list of previous winners.

2007 - Opera singer (Paul Potts)
2008 - Solo street dancer (George Sampson)
2009 - Dance troupe (Diversity)
2010 - Gymnastic troupe (Spellbound)
2011 - Classical singer (Jai McDowell)
2012 - Dog act (Ashleigh and Pudsey)

Going back to last week, I said either Attraction or a singer will win it. Unless there is an amazing performance by someone else then Attraction will win the £250,000 prize. I will say  comedian Jack Carroll is the dark horse.

There has been a lot of talk about child acts on the show. I will confess it doesn't bother me. As long they can cope the pressure of the studio light and cameras they can have a fun time. That said, I don't think the child acts are the problem. It's the pushy parents who want to reap the rewards with their child stars. Thank goodness I didn't have pushy parents.

The Britain's Got Talent Grand Final airs next Saturday, 8th June at 7.30pm on ITV and ITVHD. The grand final will be one whole show running for 2 & 1/2 hours.