Britain’s Got Talent: Mixed reactions as Simon Cowell ‘names’ winner

Britain’s Got Talent fans were left stunned when Simon Cowell declared magician Jack Rhodes the favorite to win.

After his impressive performance, the 26-year-old magician received a mixed response on social media, despite wowing the judges with his magic comedy act. Simon told him, “I think you, right now, are the favorite to win the entire competition – it was that good. You really are one in a million. That was jaw-dropping.”

When Ant and Dec asked for his reaction, Jack smiled and said, “No pressure, eh? My head’s gone. I’m used to making videos in my garage. I’m a weird hermit crab. I’m not used to this at all.” However, not everyone at home agreed with Simon’s assessment.

One viewer commented, “I was looking forward to Jack Rhodes but I was very disappointed. The explosion seemed delayed, so he clearly ran to get behind that TV. Just felt disappointed.” Another viewer remarked, “Oh, Jack finished, I nearly fell asleep.” A third tweeted, “Sorry Jack, the magician act was poor … tunnels under the stage obviously.”

Despite the mixed reviews, some fans were enthusiastic. One said, “Jack Rhodes is a clever guy, he’s funny and can work a crowd. A natural and I hope this lad wins tonight and I think he could win the event.” Another added, “Solid magic act with plenty of comedy thrown in. Funnier than some of the winners we’ve had, in fact.”

In a chat with OK! Magazine, Jack shared his plans to thank the presenters for their support. “It’s great, I’ve got three dads now,” he laughed. “I don’t know what to do with them all – Father’s Day is getting expensive with all the cards. I will be getting each one of them a card this year.”

Although his father might not be in the audience for the second time, Jack’s family and friends, including his wife, will be there to support him. “She will be there and probably more nervous than me,” he said. His friends from his previous job as a nuclear engineer in Lancashire will also be cheering him on. “I got a text in the group work chat saying ‘the funniest thing about your act is when you claim to be a nuclear engineer!’ I used to spend all dinner times doing tricks for people in the office, and we’d have Magic Wednesdays where I’d do a little bit of a show. They were always supportive of me,” he shared.

Jack, who left his engineering job in January to pursue magic full-time, is excited for his semi-final performance. “My act for the semi-final is unlike anything that has been done before. It’s brand new and I’m super excited. It’s also probably the most difficult thing I have done,” he revealed.