Britain's Got Talent: Special educational teacher lands coveted golden buzzer for her ‘unique’ voice

A teacher who uses music to help students with special educational needs has secured Bruno Tonioli’s coveted golden buzzer on Britain’s Got Talent with her “unique” voice.

Taryn Charles, 39, dazzled the judges with her rendition of the classic song (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin during Saturday’s (4 May) episode of the ITV entertainment show. The performance received a standing ovation from the audience and all four judges, with Tonioli describing her as a “very special person”.

After taking to the stage, Charles, from Egham in Surrey, said she wanted to audition as she loves to “make people smile” and she feels her voice is “all right”. She also said one of her students had come to support her and that she uses music to help her pupils, who have special educational needs.

With the audience on their feet for a second time after her powerful performance, they encouraged Tonioli to grant her the golden buzzer. As the gold confetti fell on a shocked Charles, she feel to her knees as her student, their mother and Tonioli went on stage to congratulate her.

Tonioli said he had been initially concerned about her song choice, and he was comparing her with the version by Carole King, who co-wrote the song. He added: “You made me forget about her version. You made it so much your own, with so much feeling, and the colour of your voice is unique and you’re a very, very special person my darling.”

Fellow judge Simon Cowell said he could see she was nervous and felt someone might have told her she was not good enough in the past, which she said was true. He continued: “Boy did you prove that person wrong and that is what that golden buzzer is all about, you are a little star.”

Saturday’s episode also featured a joyful routine by dancing duo Abigail, seven, and Afronitaaa, 20, who blew the judges away with their energy and quick-footed moves. Ahead of the performance, Afronitaaa said she decided to mentor Abigail, who is deaf, after seeing her dancing videos online.

They sailed through to the next round after receiving a standing ovation from the audience and judges for their performance, and Cowell saying they were one of his “favourite auditions of the year”. Amanda Holden called them “two of the most fantastic dancers we have ever had on Britain’s Got Talent”.

Meanwhile, Cowell got a shock as a massive choir went on stage dressed in white shirts, black wigs and dark sunglasses to impersonate him. The group, named Simply Simon, performed a rendition of the classic track The Best by Tina Turner which left the music mogul saying he felt “very overwhelmed” and “embarrassed”. After going onstage to meet the choir, Cowell overrode all the other judges to give them four yeses.

The judges have already handed out four golden buzzers this series including two in the first episode to singer Sydnie Christmas, 28, and a South Korean martial arts troupe. An eight-year-old boy with a brain tumour and his choir also secured the coveted buzzer, as did a Japanese dance troupe who travelled to Britain’s Got Talent because of their love of Simon Cowell.

Britain’s Got Talent continues on ITV.