Entertainment

Collabro address departure of band member as they return to BGT stage

The group won the show in 2014.
The group won the show in 2014. The group won the show in 2014.

Collabro will address the departure of one of its members when the musical theatre group returns to the Britain’s Got Talent stage.

The band won the show in 2014, but two years later singer Richard Hadfield confirmed he had left the line-up over tensions with bandmates Jamie Lambert, Michael Auger, Matt Pagan and Thomas Redgrave.

Now a four-piece, the group will return to the stage to compete in Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions alongside acts from other Got Talent series from around the world.

Collabro
Collabro The group with Richard Hadfield (second left) (Ian West/PA)

Before performing their rendition of Queen’s Who Wants To Live Forever, Redgrave says: “When we were on BGT last we were a five-piece.

“We have been a four-piece now for the past three years.

“We are still really excited about going on stage every single time, we have been working really hard and we can’t wait for you to hear what we have got in store for you.”

The Champions sees acts from around the world vie for a place in the grand final, with one contestant given a spot through the golden buzzer and one through the vote of super-fans of the show in the audience.

Judge Alesha Dixon described the band’s return as “faultless”  and “a perfect performance,” adding they have “gone from boys to men” since they last appeared on the show.

Meanwhile, Simon Cowell said: “I was just thinking this is why we made the show, genuinely your choice of song was sensational, I was very proud of what you did just then.”

Also competing for a place in the final is sword swallower Alex Magala, who won Russia’s Got Talent and was a finalist on Britain’s Got Talent, dance act Twist and Pulse, who were runners-up in the fourth series of Britain’s Got Talent, and singers Bars and Melody, who previously came third.

Also returning to the stage is former finalist and magician Ben Hart, America’s Got Talent finalist and comedian Vicki Barbolak and singer Gennady Tkachenko, who was a finalist on Das Supertalent, as well as comedian Daliso Chaponda and Asia’s Got Talent finalists DMX Comvalenoz.

Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions is on ITV on Saturday at 8.30pm