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Simon Duke

Britain's Got Talent 'cut' Dizzee Rascal song from auditions after assault conviction

Britain's Got Talent producers are said to have 'banned' the use of a Dizzee Rascal song during this year's auditions, due to the rapper's conviction for assaulting his ex partner.

The Mercury Prize winner's 2009 number 1 Bonkers has often been used on the ITV talent show for background music over the years, as well as being a big favourite of dance and stunt acts but, it is now being claimed that BGT bosses cut the song from one 2022 group's audition and replaced it with another track, before the show went to air last week. After nearly two years away, Britain's Got Talent finally returned to screens for a double header of episodes over Easter weekend, both giving millions of viewers plenty to talk about.

One of the acts in action in this year's launch episode were The Scooter Boys, a young stunt collective made up of members as young as six. And the fact that youngster member Austin suffered a nasty fall at t he very start of their routine, is now no longer than only bit of drama around their performance, with reports suggesting producers hastily replaced the track they auditioned with - Bonkers - was replaced during editing with Tinie Tempah's Pass Out and LMFAO's Party Rock Anthem.

READ MORE: Axel Blake makes career admission after getting Britain's Got Talent Golden Buzzer

The hastily made change came after Dizzee Rascal, real name Dylan Mills, 37, was found guilty of attacking his ex fiancé and mother to his two children Cassandra Jones in March by pressing his head into hers and then pushing her to the floor. According to The Sun, an ITV source said: "‘The decision was taken to dub different music over the top and that’s a policy which will continue throughout the series,’ a source said. They added:: ‘Like other musicians who’ve been proved guilty of wrongdoing, it would be inappropriate to showcase their work on a family entertainment programme."

Britain's Got Talent will continue its new series on Saturday night, with two Golden Buzzers already hit. Amanda Holden pressed hers for Greatest Showman singer Loren Allred on Saturday's show, with Simon Cowell then sending comedian Axel Blake straight through to the semi finals on Sunday.

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