She Spoke in the Voices of Our Childhood and Reminded Us That Joy Is a Talent
Kimberly Winter's Britain's Got Talent audition split the judges, drew 54 Ofcom complaints and went viral. What happened on stage, and why people are still talking about it.
Some auditions are forgotten by the next ad break. Kimberly Winter’s Britain’s Got Talent audition in April 2024 was not one of them. It divided the judges, went viral and sent viewers to the regulator. Watch it first, then read what happened.
What happened on stage
Winter was expected to sing to an ABBA track. Instead, she burped loudly into the microphone. Judge Amanda Holden then joined in with a burp of her own.
How the judges voted
The four judges were split:
- Simon Cowell: yes.
- Amanda Holden: yes.
- Bruno Tonioli: pressed his buzzer and stood up to leave, then changed his mind and voted yes.
- Alesha Dixon: no. She pressed her buzzer and left her chair.
Three yes votes were enough, and Winter went through to the next round.
The reaction
The audition aired in the launch episode of the new series, and the response was as divided as the judges. The broadcast regulator Ofcom received 54 complaints, all about the act, with some viewers calling it disgusting. On the show’s Instagram page, many viewers said it was not talent. Others found it hilarious, and one parent reported that their 10-year-old laughed all the way through.
People in the audience that day said many in the room did not enjoy it.
Who is Kimberly Winter?
Winter is an American performer from Maryland who is known online for her belching videos, which she has posted since about 2022. She is reported to hold a Guinness World Record for the loudest burp by a woman.
Why it stuck
You do not have to like it to see why it travelled. It surprised the room, split a panel of professionals and left viewers arguing about what counts as a talent. Whether it made you laugh or look away, it got a reaction, which is the one thing every act on that stage is after.