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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Opera singer is TV talent winner | Opera singer is TV talent winner |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Opera-singing phone salesman Paul Potts has won the final of TV variety show Britain's Got Talent. | Opera-singing phone salesman Paul Potts has won the final of TV variety show Britain's Got Talent. |
| Potts, from Port Talbot, south Wales, beat six-year-old singer Connie Talbot, from Sutton Coldfield, who had wowed the judges, who included Simon Cowell. | Potts, from Port Talbot, south Wales, beat six-year-old singer Connie Talbot, from Sutton Coldfield, who had wowed the judges, who included Simon Cowell. |
| The winner of the ITV1 programme, presented by Ant and Dec, received a cheque for £100,000 and a spot at the Royal Variety Performance. | |
| Some 11 million people saw the hopefuls perform in the show's live final. | Some 11 million people saw the hopefuls perform in the show's live final. |
| Viewing figures dropped slightly to 10.6 million for the later results broadcast at 2200 BST, overnight audience figures show. | Viewing figures dropped slightly to 10.6 million for the later results broadcast at 2200 BST, overnight audience figures show. |
| "The whole country has gone Paul Potts potty," said host Ant McPartlin who announced during the show that two million people had cast their vote. | "The whole country has gone Paul Potts potty," said host Ant McPartlin who announced during the show that two million people had cast their vote. |
| Connie Talbot said she had taken no professional singing lessons | Connie Talbot said she had taken no professional singing lessons |
| However, ITV has refused to confirm exactly how many phone votes it received. | However, ITV has refused to confirm exactly how many phone votes it received. |
| Potts, 36, is a fan of opera legend Luciano Pavarotti and impressed judges with his version of Nessun Dorma. | Potts, 36, is a fan of opera legend Luciano Pavarotti and impressed judges with his version of Nessun Dorma. |
| He first sang opera at the age of 28 for a karaoke competition when he dressed up as his idol. | He first sang opera at the age of 28 for a karaoke competition when he dressed up as his idol. |
| Diverse finalists | Diverse finalists |
| Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live, Potts said he very nearly did not enter the competition. | Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live, Potts said he very nearly did not enter the competition. |
| "I almost didn't press the submit button when I applied online," he said. | "I almost didn't press the submit button when I applied online," he said. |
| "To get as far as I did - I really can't believe it." | "To get as far as I did - I really can't believe it." |
| Damon Scott impressed judges with his monkey puppet, BubblesPotts, who was told by Cowell that he would start recording his debut album next week, said: "It really proves that variety isn't dead. There's plenty of variety and lots of talent." | Damon Scott impressed judges with his monkey puppet, BubblesPotts, who was told by Cowell that he would start recording his debut album next week, said: "It really proves that variety isn't dead. There's plenty of variety and lots of talent." |
| Saturday's semi-final also saw bottle-juggling pair the Bar Wizards go through to the final. | Saturday's semi-final also saw bottle-juggling pair the Bar Wizards go through to the final. |
| The other finalists were Damon Scott, who performed with a monkey puppet, street dancers The Kombat Breakers, and 11-year-old singer Bessie Cursons. | The other finalists were Damon Scott, who performed with a monkey puppet, street dancers The Kombat Breakers, and 11-year-old singer Bessie Cursons. |
| On Friday, impressionist Richard Bates was removed from the contest after police contacted producers to tell them he was on the sex offenders' register. | On Friday, impressionist Richard Bates was removed from the contest after police contacted producers to tell them he was on the sex offenders' register. |
| ITV said Bates, who is due to be removed from the register next month, had agreed to step down from the show. | ITV said Bates, who is due to be removed from the register next month, had agreed to step down from the show. |