BGT judge Amanda Holden said she is firmly on Alesha Dixon’s side when it comes to the controversy surrounding her co-star’s Black Lives Matter necklace.
Thousands of viewers complained to Ofcom when Alesha wore a gold necklace last week on Britain’s Got Talent that included the letters BLM in reference to the movement.
Amanda says that although Alesha doesn’t need anyone to fight her battles for her, she’d be there if she ever asked her to.
What did Amanda Holden think of her co-star’s BLM necklace?
“I didn’t even realise she was wearing it!!” Amanda told Huff Post. “I was sat right next to her and was like ‘oh, that’s lovely! And she went ‘look at it babe’ and I went ‘oh, yes’.”
The TV judge went on to say that she feels a strong bond with Alesha, and is proud of her co-star for wanting to stand up for minorities of all kinds.
Amanda said she feels “enormously protective towards Alesha and all my friends who experience this kind of thing”.
Amanda added: “Alesha, believe me, is tough and can fight her own corner. She doesn’t need me but she’s got me right there if she needs me… I’ve got a mouthguard and a hot towel ready.”
Why were BGT viewers upset?
Some angry fans said “political” references shouldn’t be allowed on the show, despite many arguing that BLM shouldn’t be classed as such a movement.
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“Why are you allowing political statements. #AleshaDixon if #SimonCowell was there I don’t think you’d be wearing it,” ranted one viewer.
However, the majority of viewers appeared to voice their support for Alesha’s powerful stance.
One viewer said: “Seriously you want to boycott BGT because of a necklace? That’s crazy!”
Diversity spark backlash on BGT
More than 24,500 people complained about Diversity‘s BLM-inspired dance routine on the show.
The dance group portrayed the death of George Floyd, as well as other recent events.
Ofcom confirmed they will not be investigating Diversity’s performance, despite the outcry.
They said in a statement: “Diversity’s performance referred to challenging and potentially controversial subjects.
“In our view, its central message was a call for social cohesion and unity.
“Any depictions of violence by the performers were highly stylised and symbolic of recent global events.
“There was no explicit reference to any particular political organisation, but rather a message that the lives of black people matter.”
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