Britain’s Got Talent 2011: Amanda Holden arrives on a motorbike for to join Simon Cowell on tonight’s show

By Jody Thompson

Last updated at 12:26 AM on 31st May 2011

It’s the moment that fans have been waiting for – the return of Britain’s Got Talent  head judge Simon Cowell on tonight’s show.

And his co-judge Amanda Holden was leaving nothing to chance when it came to getting to the show studios on time today – she was whisked there on the back of a motorbike to avoid getting stuck in Bank Holiday traffic.

Amanda was wearing an unusual biking outfit of grey miniskirt, black sunglasses, jacket and towering black patent stilettos, with her huge pink patent handbag tied behind her on the parcel rack.

Racy lady: Amanda Holden arrived at the Britain’s Got Talent studios this evening on the back of a motorbike to avoid the Bank Holiday traffic

However, she still managed to dismount the bike with decorum before she then removed her helmet and made her way into make-up.

The star had revealed earlier today that she couldn’t wait for tonight’s show – though she revealed she was feeling nervous.

Writing on her Twitter page, she said: ‘Woken up with major butterflies!! Cannot wait to see all the boys later and especially Simon! Hooray x’

Keen: Amanda wrote on her Twitter page that she ‘couldn’t wait’ to join ‘her boys’ including Simon Cowell on tonight’s show – so made a speedy entrance on a motorbike

As well as Simon, she’ll be joining David Hasselhoff and Michael McIntyre as they prepare to whittle down the wannabes. 

Last night, Amanda, David and Michael managed to slash a list of 220 acts down to just 40 ahead of tonight’s show.

But Amanda revealed tonight that the judges didn’t even know which of the semi-finalists would be performing for them tonight.

She tweeted: ‘OMG! We have all been locked in our dressing rooms! Have no idea who is even on stage tonight!! The excitement is unbelievable!’

The mother-of-one also revealed her choice of dress for tonight’s show, saying: ‘So!! I am wearing Quintana tonight (specially made for me!) and Martine Webster Ear-rings!( Also specially made!!) Feeling V. Happy!’

However, head honcho Simon is bound to find fault with some of the judges’ decisions regarding which acts have been put through when he makes his debut on this series of the show tonight.

On fire: Girls Roc are through to tonight’s live semis, seen here at rehearsals today

Those who have made it through include opera singer Pippa Langhorne and her dog Buddy, Romanian dancer Razy Gogonea and dancing fire act Girl Roc.

Others battling for a place in Saturday’s grand final are singer Ronan Parke, ballet dancer James Hobley, junior boy band New Bounce, bell ringers Gay And Alan and impressionist Les Gibson.

Other dancers going through are the Celtic Colleens, Dance Angels, Two & A Half Men, Abyss and Up And Over It.

There was also a unanimous yes from all three judges last night for Nottingham teenager Joe Oakley.

The 19-year-old performed a stunt act on a bike to the Mission: Impossible soundtrack.

The audience were amazed when he got his father and a friend to lie down on the floor as he jumped over them on the bike without managing to hurt them.

He then hopped up on a series of oil drums and managed to leap from one to the other, before balancing on a climbing frame made of scaffolding.

McIntyre said: ‘It was sensational. It was like you and the bike were one. Very very exciting.’

Hasselhoff was stunned: ‘You were absolutely original, unique and fantastic for this show.’

Flying high: Joe Oakley amazed the audience with his bike stunt tricks and progressed to the semis

Nerve-wracking: Oakley persuaded his father and a friend to lie on the floor while he jumped over them on his bike

Keyboardist Jessica Hobson, 19, and teen soprano Georgia Odette, 13, both made it through with their renditions of Billie Jean and You’ll Never Walk Alone respectively.

Singing duo Mr and Mrs – who are an actual married couple comprising of a school teacher and social worker – also went through.

But the next act received three yeses after receiving a standing ovation from the audience.

Former music teacher Jean Martyn, 59, got the whole audience moving with her energetic rock ‘n’ roll piano routine to Great Balls Of Fire.

Mcintyre said: ‘Your smile is infectious. Wildly entertaining.’

• The first Britain’s Got Final semi-final is on tonight at 7:30pm.

Decision time: The Britain’s Got Talent judges had to whittle down 220 acts to 40 ahead of this week’s semi-finals

The Britain’s Got Talent 2011

NAME: Edward Reid
AGE: 35
FROM: Glasgow
TALENT: Singer

NAME: Michael Collings
AGE: 19
FROM: Plymouth
TALENT: Singer

NAME: Ronan Parke
AGE: 12
FROM: Norwich
TALENT: Singer

NAME: Out of the Blue
AGE: 18-23
FROM: All live in Oxford but hometowns include Surrey, Slough, London, Southampton, Leicestershire and Australia
TALENT: A capella singing group

NAME: Razy Gogonea
AGE: 29
FROM: Bucharest, Romania, lives in Manchester
TALENT: Dancer

NAME: New Bounce
AGE: 15, 14, 13 and 12
FROM: Hadley Wood, Lambeth, Wolverhampton and East Ham.
TALENT: Group Singers

NAME: Les Gibson
AGE: 41
FROM: Liverpool
TALENT: Comedy Impressionist

NAME: Steven Hall
AGE: 53
FROM: Kendal
TALENT: Comedy Dancing

NAME: Donelda Guy
AGE: 66
DOGS: Biba, a 9 year old Border Collie & Mega, a 3 year old Border Collie
FROM: Jersey
TALENT: Animal Trainer

NAME: Antonio Popeye
AGE: 47
FROM: Romford, Essex
TALENT: Variety Act; Eye Popper

NAME: Herbie Armstrong
AGE: 66
FROM: Belfast, lives in Hampshire
TALENT: Musician

NAME: Pip & Puppy (Pippa Langhorne)
AGE: 21
DOG: Buddy, 6 month old Lhasa Apso
FROM: Worcester
TALENT: Variety Dog Act

NAMES: Aeolian Chimes
MEMBERS: Gay & Alan Cooper
AGE: 56 & 59
FROM: Wallingford, Oxfordshire

NAMES: Ted & Grace (Ted Hall and Grace Bower)
AGE: 92 & 21
FROM: Scunthorpe
TALENT: Singers

NAME: Enchantment
AGE: 17 – 52
FROM: Various, including Essex, London, Brighton, Bromley, Gran Canaria
TALENT: Cirque/Theatrical act

NAME: Mexican Mayhem (Melanie Ceazar)
AGE: 59
DOGS: Tucker, a 4 year old Chihuahua & Twizzle, a 3 year old Chihuahua
FROM: Chingford
TALENT: Animal Act

NAME: Girls Roc
AGE: 21-27
FROM: London and Kent
TALENT: Dancing Fire Act

NAME: Marawa The Amazing (Marawa Ibrahim)
AGE: 28
FROM: Melbourne, Australia
TALENT: Hula Hoop Act

NAME: Follow The Right Path
MEMBERS:  George Emery and Jamie Herring
AGE: 13 & 14
FROM: Kingston Vale, London
TALENT: Singers/Rappers

NAME: Angela & Teddy (Angela Richen)
AGE: 64
DOG: Teddy, a 12 year old Toy Poodle
FROM: Swindon
TALENT: Dog Act

semi-finalists are…

NAME: Stuart Arnold
AGE: 42
FROM: Nottingham
TALENT: Impressionist

NAME: Jessica Hobson
AGE: 19
FROM: Sheffield
TALENT: Singer

NAME: The Circus of Horrors
AGE: Various
FROM: Various
TALENT: Variety Horror Act

NAME: Joe Oakley
AGE: 19
FROM: Nottingham
TALENT: Bike Act

NAME: The Celtic Colleens
AGE: 9-30
FROM: Crawley, West Sussex
TALENT: Dance Troupe

NAME: Mr & Mrs
MEMBERS: John & Josie Kenny
AGE: 55 & 44
FROM: Coventry
TALENT: Singers

NAME: Jay Worley
AGE: 18
FROM: Beddau, near Cardiff
TALENT: Singer

NAME: Dance Angels
AGE: 9-23
FROM: Cardiff
TALENT: Dance Troupe

NAME: Two & A Half Men
MEMBERS: Patrick Bauristhene, Paulius Frajus & Andrius Mitkevicis
AGE: 28, 28 & 26
FROM: South Africa & Lithuania, lives in Isle of Dogs and Bromley
TALENT: Trio Dance Act

NAMES: David & Karen (David Penn & Karen Thompkins)
AGE: 40 & 28
FROM: Northampton & Luton
TALENT: Magicians and Illusionists   

NAME: Wachiraporn Tirpak (Nan)
AGE: 28
FROM: Bangkok, Thailand, lives in Kings Lynn
TALENT: Cabaret Act

NAME: Lorna Bliss
AGE: 29
FROM: London
TALENT: Professional Impersonator

NAME: Paul Gbegbaje
AGE: 19
FROM: Dagenham
TALENT: Musician

NAME: Bruce Sistaz
MEMBERS: Chloe & Grace Bruce
AGE: 27 & 19
FROM: Essex
TALENT: Martial Arts

NAME: Abyss
AGE: 17-28
FROM: Lewisham, London
TALENT: Dancers

NAME: Jai McDowall
AGE: 24
FROM: Ayrshire, Scotland.
TALENT: Singer

NAME: Nathan Wyburn
AGE: 21
FROM: Abergavenny, lives in Cardiff
TALENT: Artist

NAME: James Hobley
AGE: 11
FROM: Redcar
TALENT: Dancer

NAME: Up & Over It
MEMBERS: Peter Harding & Suzanne Cleary
AGE:  Both 31
FROM: Cardiff, lives in London & from Cork, lives in London
TALENT: Irish (hand) Dancers

NAME:  Jean Martyn
AGE: 59
FROM: Staffordshire
TALENT: Musician (organist)