Britain’s Got Talent viewers were left confused after a familiar duo failed to appear in the latest semi-final line-up, despite a strong audition earlier in the series.
ITV had confirmed the acts competing in the show’s final semi-final episode, including The Hawkstone Farmers Choir, drone art group Celestial, performance duo Baron and Vesper, magician Jake Banfield, vocalist James Miller, schoolboy dancer Juan Carlos, Japanese comedian Mr. Cherry, and rock band SOS. However, grandfather-and-grandson performers Lucciano and Frankie were noticeably missing from the list.
The omission surprised many fans, as the pair had previously impressed both the judges and audience during their audition on Britain’s Got Talent. They received four yeses from the judging panel, which included Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and KSI.
Their audition had become a standout moment in the series after Lucciano shared that his love of singing began through performances at care homes alongside his grandfather during school holidays. The emotional highlight came when he invited Frankie on stage, and the duo performed “History” by One Direction, earning a standing ovation.
Following the broadcast, social media was quickly filled with questions from viewers wondering why the act had not progressed to the semi-finals, with many expressing surprise given the positive audience reaction and viral popularity of their performance.
After their exit from the competition, Lucciano and Frankie addressed supporters through a joint message posted on Instagram. In their statement, they thanked fans for the overwhelming support, highlighting millions of online views and describing the experience as a memorable milestone. They also expressed gratitude to the show’s production team and to ITV, as well as hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.
The duo added that while they were disappointed not to reach the semi-finals, they remained grateful for the opportunity and hinted that future plans were still to come.
Speaking after the performance, Frankie said taking to the stage with his grandson was an emotional moment he would never forget.
“I honestly didn’t know if the heart could take it any more, it was one of the greatest moments I’ll always remember,” he said. “I was just quite happy sat there watching him, but thought this was my chance and got up there with him.”
Frankie, from Kingswood on the outskirts of Bristol, also said he believes Lucciano has the potential to become “the next big star”.
Lucciano’s mother, Marisa, who was watching from backstage alongside hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, said the moment was deeply moving for the whole family. She revealed that seeing her son walk out alone on stage was already emotional, and the surprise duet made the experience even more special.
Marisa also shared a personal connection to the show, explaining that she had previously performed in front of judge Simon Cowell as part of X Factor group Girl Band in 2008, the same year as acts JLS and Alexandra Burke.
“It was a proud moment to watch my little boy do something so big and perform to the same judge that I did,” she said.
She added that while she hopes Lucciano will succeed in the future, she is careful not to place pressure on him, saying: “What he’s doing at the moment makes him happy and that’s all we want.”
The current series of Britain’s Got Talent continues to air on ITV1 and ITVX, with the grand finale scheduled for 30 May at 7pm, where the next winner will be crowned. The previous season was won by magician Harry Moulding, who received a £250,000 prize and a performance slot at the Royal Variety Performance.
