Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to believe that Hollie Steel should not have got a second chance to sing on Britain's Got Talent?

130 replies

MichKit · 30/05/2009 03:23

Especially after she had, what I perceived, a proper little temper tantrum, with stamping feet and all when she was told she would not get a second go after messing up the first time? And AIBU for being really annoyed at her mother for letting her go on into that pressure cooker of a situation when she was so clearly not ready for it?

I am a sad person to be sitting here at 3.22 am, but DD has chicken pox, and I am trying to get her to sleep without scratching

OP posts:
FairLadyRantALot · 30/05/2009 14:04

well, mich said, it's funny how us mums can spot a tantrum....when clearly not all of us here (lots of mums) have not perceived it as such...surely that could be prescribed as a bit smug...

SerendipitousHarlot · 30/05/2009 14:05

There were no tears. It felt staged to me, if I'm honest. Like she'd been coached. And the judges were in on it.

Or maybe I'm too much of a conspiracist. Or I've been reading too much Ben Elton

And... whoever said she shouldn't be judged the same as an adult, is wrong, imo. Put yourself out there, get judged, whoever you are.

FairLadyRantALot · 30/05/2009 14:07

oh, and what do I have to feel defensive about [confused emoticon]

MichKit · 30/05/2009 14:08

That was defintely not my intended meaning. What I was trying to say is that its probably easier for mum's to identify tantrums, as opposed to someone who may not necessarily have children or be around young children a lot. For example, even my mum, who was a teacher, falls for my DDs tantrums most of the time, and hates it when we have to ignore her, so she can get over it.

I am not claiming that anybody is superior or inferior, several of us are just struggling to make sense of children and hoping to bring them up the 'right' way (a very subjective term, if I may add).

I saw that the child was distressed when she forgot her lines, any child would have been, when performing at that scale. However, the resulting drama was handled very badly, in my opinion. And if it was my DD on there, I would have made sure to take her off that stage, and let her recover instead of pleading for another chance.

What I found particularly upsetting was that the mum, even before she reached Hollie was looking at Simon, going, can she go again, please?? I found that hard to take, becuase surely in that situation, your priority should be to comfort the little child and not worry about anything else?

I have been on TV myself (albiet, not in that pressured situation), and I know very well that if you put yourself out there in a reality show by choice, you will have to take the good with the bad. We can't just not comment on the situation because she is 'just a child'. If Susan Boyle had messed up would we have been as forgiving (or not?) and she would have certainly not got another chance.

OP posts:
ilovemydogandmrobama · 30/05/2009 14:12

There should be a BGT for children. Not live TV, but taped to get over the pressure.

Whatever one thinks of her performance, it was horrible to watch a child going into meltdown on TV.

FairLadyRantALot · 30/05/2009 14:13

fair enough mich...that wasn't how I read your other post, so, thank you for explaining....
btw, I do agree it was badly handled and that the girl was under to much pressure which she wasn't able to cope yet...
I jsut didn't see her having a tantrum....

smallorange · 30/05/2009 14:18

'What I found particularly upsetting was that the mum, even before she reached Hollie was looking at Simon, going, can she go again, please?? I found that hard to take, becuase surely in that situation, your priority should be to comfort the little child and not worry about anything else?'

Ah but this is a showbiz mum - her first reaction would be to tell her daughter to get back on that stage and perform.

pranma · 30/05/2009 14:39

She is only a little girl and there were tears if you look closely I think it was humane to let her try again and she was very brave to try and succeed.I am more concerned about Julian Smith the saxophonist who is a very experiencced professional musician under another name-Jules someone.

BitOfFun · 30/05/2009 15:28

I agree- I wasn't impressed with him blubbing that he'd never quite made it. If he does gigs here and there and gets a bit of session work, that's as much as most musicians get. What's his problem?

2rebecca · 30/05/2009 15:36

I think she should only have got to sing again if they all could have if they asked. It's unfair otherwise. If she's too young to be treated the same as the others she's too young to be in it. I think they should have a lower age limit of 14-16. If you have talent below that you should still have it when you're older. If you've "lost" your talent then maybe it wasn't really there. That also enables people to judge acts on their quality (what quality?) and not how cute or appealing they are.
The 2 twins had no singing talent and shouldn't have been allowed back to the semis. The boy was quite good but his family ruined it for him by dragging him down.

BCNS · 30/05/2009 15:37

I have to say when I saw the hollie saga.. all I wanted to do was take that child off the stage and provide ice cream and hugs.

poor poor kid.

but I hated the way the mother handled it, and there was no way that she should have got to sing again.. 10 years old or not.. no other contestant would be able to.
and..it was the blubbing that got her through not her talent. There were much better children performing this year who had the confidence to do so and seemed to really enjoy it.

I hope she earns enough to cover her coucilling fees later on in life.

Ceebee74 · 30/05/2009 15:38

Serendipitous I an beginning to agree with you - watching it last night, I was upset and felt really sorry but cynical old DH kept saying it was a complete set-up. Anyway, I then remembered MIL telling us that she went to a do last weekend where Hollie was performed/answered questions on her 'fame' (she lives in the local area) and MIL said she was extremely confident etc etc.

Now I know performing on live TV is different to performing to a load of old women but is a bit to me.

Blondeshavemorefun · 30/05/2009 15:42

regardless if she sang again or not - the judges are the ones to blame for putting her through against the opera singer - who i though was fab to be able to sing in high and low voice

saying that i hope that one of the 2 boy dance acts win tonight - they are both very good, and sure the queen and prince philip will enjoy - because that is the whole point of bgt - to find an act for the royal vs!!

MichKit · 30/05/2009 15:50

I thought Susan Boyle had it in the bag... before the backlash began. I like Stavros Flatley though, its just so much more fun! Plus, they look like they are loving the whole experience.

I wanted Callum Francis to got through

OP posts:
scottishmummyofone · 30/05/2009 17:37

she's not very good but she wasn't throwing a tantrum. She genuinely wanted to be on the show and she clearly panicked when she got the words wrong. She is only a little girl and should have gotten a second chance but she won't win BGT.

I was annoyed at her mum though. She was telling Hollie to 'forget everyone else' etc but I would have said 'right, we are going home'. Seems like her parents are pushing her.

Susan Boyle has learning difficulties and is an inspiration to everyone. Little kids will learn that you don't have to be good looking or intelligent to succeed.

(but I think susan boyle is cr*p and I'm scottish!)

FabulousBakerGirl · 30/05/2009 17:40

I read in the paper today that her mother wants her to have a record deal as this is her last chance.

BitOfFun · 30/05/2009 17:45

How sad- life is hardly over aged ten! I peaked about seventeen before I started to disappoint anyone

FabulousBakerGirl · 30/05/2009 17:47

I was one second old when I first disappointed my mother

Quattrocento · 30/05/2009 17:50

I think this programme is a modern-day freak show. It's morally dubious to derive entertainment from adult freaks (some of whom clearly have mental health issues) but totally wrong to derive entertainment from child-freaks, I think

BitOfFun · 30/05/2009 17:57

Awww, Fab, it wasn't your fault! Hey, at least we've got DPs who are irrationally impressed with us now, eh?

TheLadyEvenstar · 30/05/2009 18:06

Ok I will take all the flaming but IMHO there were no tears of frustration, nerves etc HOWEVER there was one very well rehearsed little girl....watch again she knew exactly what she was doing...she had been told many times I would imagine....Ok darling don't forget cry...and thats what she did

She played her role very well and got through on the sympathy vote.

Blondeshavemorefun · 30/05/2009 18:10

thelady - you sound just like my dh - he said it was all an act

dittany · 30/05/2009 18:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheLadyEvenstar · 30/05/2009 18:17

I don't believe for one second it was anything more than an act...

whats the bet that she manages to get through tonights show eh??

She is a stage school brat princess who put on a good show for the public to feel sorry for her!

Natalie Okri was a brilliant singer the same age, a natural talent and guess what she never got through but she held her head high. I know who I would have preffered in the finals.

BitOfFun · 30/05/2009 18:17

There were tears! You just need a swanky chav telly like mine