The next Bieber? Simon Cowell apparently thinks that Ronan Parke will be Britain's version of Justin Bieber
He narrowly lost out on the Britain’s Got Talent crown following claims online that the competition had been fixed in his favour.
But despite coming second to surprise winner Jai McDowall, it looks like Ronan Parke will be first to the coveted prize of a record deal.
Sources at Sony Music said they are still keen to offer the 12-year-old a recording contract estimated to be worth between £1million and £1.5million in the hope that he will become the ‘British Justin Bieber’.
Recording contract? Sony Music is said to be preparing a contract for the 12-year-old
Big fan: Cowell has always been a big supporter of Ronan, despite the fix allegations making their friendship tense
By contrast, McDowall has admitted that Simon Cowell has yet to speak to him about signing to his Syco label.
The 24-year-old Scot said: ‘I am just going to focus on the tour and the Royal Variety Show. Anything else I guess would be a bonus.’
The care worker, who won the £100,000 top prize, said he ‘dreamed of landing an album deal’.
It would be a surprise if Cowell handed him one – as when he auditioned for The X Factor last year he failed to get past the ‘boot camp’ stage.
An average of 12.3million viewers tuned in on Saturday night – peaking at 14.1million – to see McDowall beat bookmakers’ favourite Parke.
The singer was bullish about suggestions he was only victorious because of a backlash against Cowell over the online allegations.
Emotional: Ronan with his mother last night after coming second in the talent show competition
He said: ‘I think I just upped my game and had a better performance on the night. Some people are going to like Ronan better and some people are going to like what I do better.’
He added that Parke was a ‘great guy’ who was unfazed by the online claims, and the pair had struck up an unlikely friendship.
Close call: The difference between Jai, 24, and Ronan has been revealed to be only 2.5 per cent
Winner: Jai McDowall, standing with Ant and Dec, won last night's talent show and £100,000
Watch vdo clips below:
Jai McDowall, winner of Britain's Got Talent 2011 performs
Friends again? Simon Cowell has managed to convince Fox executives Cheryl Cole is right for X Factor USA
Cheryl Cole was offered her job back on the X Factor USA last night – less than two weeks after being axed from the show.
The 27-year-old Girls Aloud singer and former judge on the British series was dropped amid claims that viewers couldn’t understand her Geordie accent and criticism of her performance on the panel.
But in a shock U-turn, Fox Television executives have given her a second chance after a personal intervention by X Factor supremo Simon Cowell.
Last night it remained unclear whether she would accept the offer, with a source saying: ‘The ball is in her court.’
The US network and Cowell have been criticised after it emerged Fox’s President of Alternative Entertainment, Mike Darnell – dubbed
the Rumpelstiltskin of Reality TV because of his 5ft 2in height – ordered Miss Cole off the show after he watched footage of her on the panel last month.
Significantly, since then, neither Fox nor Cowell’s representatives have released a statement confirming that Miss Cole had been sacked.
If Miss Cole – who has not been seen in public since she was axed from the show – decides to accept the offer, she could be back on the panel when auditions resume in New Jersey this week.
Back in the line-up? Cole with X Factor USA judges Antonio 'L.A.' Reid, Paula Abdul and Cowell and co-hosts Steve Jones and Nicole Scherzinger
If she agrees to the move, it would see Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger – who was given Cheryl’s place on the panel after her sudden exit – relegated to her original role as co-host with British TV pre¬senter Steve Jones.
But there was speculation the offer could be a plot by the American TV network to stave off any legal claim that Miss Cole could make for compensation against her sacking.
She was expected to receive a £1.2million payout in compensation despite filming only four episodes of the £100million series. However, if she then chooses not to accept Fox’s offer, it could reduce any payment the network would have to pay out.
Last night a spokesman for Miss Cole did not return calls.
A judge or co-host? Cheryl's return will mean Scherzinger - who performed on Britain's Got Talent last night - will revert to presenting
Miss Cole, one of four judges on the panel alongside Cowell, Paula Abdul and record producer L. A. Reid, flew back to Britain two weeks ago.
No official explanation has yet emerged as to why Miss Cole was dropped and sources close to her said she was not told why.
However, Fox executives were said to have complained about the ‘lack of chemistry’ between her and fellow judge Miss Abdul and concerns were raised about Miss Cole’s accent.
She was also criticised for her fashion sense and hairstyle after she arrived for her first day on the panel in purple trousers, an orange top and a backcombed hairstyle which Simon Cowell later said looked as if it was created in a wind tunnel.
Last week, British television executives gave Miss Cole the chance to resume her place on the ITV show – but she declined their offer after failing to respond to a deadline set for midnight last Saturday.
A source close to Cowell said last night: ‘Simon is staying out of this now. He has offered an olive branch but he is leaving the decisions up to Fox and Freemantle, the production company.
New panel: Louis Walsh is joined by Kelly Rowland, Tulisa Contostavlos and Gary Barlow at the Birmingham auditions of X Factor last week
‘Cheryl was offered the UK show because it was thought that would have made her happier. He just wants whatever is best for Cheryl.’
Her U.S. manager, Black Eyed Peas rapper Will.i.am said last week: 'Cheryl always comes back stronger, and she always comes back bigger. Cheryl has been through rougher things than this, so this is going to be no problem for her.
'It's easy to imagine Simon as this one-man empire, but that's not the case.
'He has people he needs to answer to and sometimes his hands are tied. I can only tell you what I've seen first-hand, that's a guy who deeply cares for her.'
The latest development comes just a few days after it was confirmed Mrs Cole would not be returning to the original UK X Factor.
Instead Gary Barlow, Tulisa Contostavlos and Kelly Rowland joined the only remaining judge Louis Walsh on the panel at the Birmingham auditions last week.
Walsh said he had spoken to Cole and she was doing 'fine'.
He said: 'I talked to Cheryl today - we’ve been texting all day and we’re having fun. I think she’s going to be fine.
'Listen, from her texts today she’s absolutely fine.'
Swinging time: Melbourne-born Marawa wowed the judges with her hula hoop routine
The Melbourne-born hula dancer did her thing with myriad hoops, complete with backing dancers, acrobatics and pyrothecnics.
Simon exclaimed afterwards: 'You've definitely lightened the mood now! That was the best hula hooping I've ever seen, you could not have put more into it.
Your facial expressions were absolutely hysterical too. You've put me in a good mood whatever happens, you are going to be booked for life!'
Fellow judge David Hasselhoff concurred, musing: 'You were almost literally on fire! A fantastic job!'
Big sound: Michael Collings won through to the finals of Britain's Got Talent with his soulful version of Paul Weller's You Do Something To Me
Gravity defying: Romanian Razy Gogonea, who lives in Manchester with his Lancastrian fiancée was the outright winner of tonight's semi with his Matrix-inspired dance routine
No strings attached: Razy admitted that he hurt himself pulling off his show-winning moves
Cock-a-hoop: Marawa was thrilled to have cheered Simon up after his angry opening speech
Such great heights: Show hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly were dwarfed by singing dog act Pip & Puppy
Not seeing eye-to-eye: The judges were not keen on Antonio Popeye
Rude to stare: Antonio Popeye's act did what it said on the tin
Next up was the equally over-the-top Pip and Puppy - aka opera singer Pippa Langhorne and her pooch Buddy.
As she trilled opera, her dog - dressed in a suit and dicky bow - howled while the pair of them got higher and higher as she rose on a platform hidden under her very long ballgown.
Equally bizarrely, all the judges loved it.
Wrong show: Former X Factor contestants bizarrely popped up as surprise guests to back semi-finalist Antonio
You look familiar: But the Kate and Wills lookalikes didn't help Antonio and his odd eye-bulging act win through either
Buzzed off: Antonio was the first - and only - act in the semi-final to be buzzed off by all four judges so had to stop before he'd finished
Amanda enthused: 'You reached new heights this evening. It was gorgeous. You're beautiful and you have a lovely voice.'
Simon meanwhile gave the act ovation, saying: 'All my life I've been waiting for a singing dog. I don't know how the dog remembers the words.'
Out-there Irish dancing act The Celtic Colleens also got a thumbs-up across the board, for their routine totally done in darkness about from their luminous legs and hands.
Simon - clearly having a better time on the show than on previous nights - mused after their act: 'I've got to say there were moments last night when I was almost losing the will to live.
Tense: The moment the acts in voted into the top three by the public waited to find which two would go through to the final
Man's best friend: But Puppy just howled at Pip's singing
Doggone: Despite getting voted into the top three by the public, Pippa And Puppy were sent home with their tail between their legs
'But tonight, I have to hand it to you three, you've done a very good job. You guys have done fantastic, that was really really smart, and I've never seen anything like that before, congratulations.'
However, husband and wife singing act Mr and Mrs failed to impress him with their version of Katy Perry's Teenage Dream and he buzzed them off almost immediately.
Next in line, teen rappers Jamie and George, aka Follow the Right Path, however did ring Simon's bell, as they rapped about their dead grandfather to the tune of Mika's Happy Ending.
Simon also managed to make George cry, though with tears of happiness, when he praised the duo despite criticisms from judges Amanda Holden and Michael McIntyre, saying they were 'absolutely brilliant.'
Lost in translation: Despite being given a wild card to come back on the show, despite being voted off by the judges earlier, French dancer Michael Moral failed to be voted through by the public
On song: Follow The Right Path rapped about losing their grandfather
Tears of joy: Follow The Right Path got emotional after resounding praise from Simon Cowell
Contestant Antonio certainly scored a first as the only semi-finalist to get buzzed by all four judges so he had to stop his act before the end.
He stood centre of stage bulging his eyes in time to the music surrounded by feather-waving dancing girls, as a pair of Kate and Wills lookalikes waved and Jedward pranced around behind him.
Michael Moral, the French dancer who Simon had brought back did better and got positive remarks from all four judges - though he failed to win in the dance off with rival Razy.
Bum note: Husband and wife act Mr And Mrs failed to strike the right chord with the judges or the voting public
Razy, who lives in Manchester with his Lancastrian fiancée, earned a standing ovation for his Matrix-inspired, gravity-defying body-popping routine.
The audience were equally wowed by scruffy singing sensation Michael Collings, a 19-year-old IT engineer and new father.
He has previously made a point of saying he's not a gypsy or a traveller just because he lives on a caravan site, saying: 'I'm not a gypsy and I don't live on a gypsy site,' explaining instead it was just a residential caravan park where his parents moved last year to escape the city.
Not so black and white: Despite wowing the judges and getting a great reaction from the audience, The Celtic Colleens Irish dance act failed to go through to the final
Wearing a checked shirt and tatty jeans, he sat on a stool with just his guitar for company and delivered a stunning version of You Do Something to Me by Paul Weller.
Simon was impressed - and appeared to be referring to the performance of 19-year-old Jessica Hobley from Thursday night, who he made cry with his criticism of her song and dance routine performance of Beyoncé's Single Ladies.
Great moves: The BGT 2009 winners Diversity wowed the crowd on the results show
Together at last: JLS and Diversity gave a great performance on the results show
He gushed: 'When you've got it - and you've got it - you don't need any dancers or any effects. This is why artists like Adele are doing so well all over the world. 'If you've got soul in your voice, and you have got soul in your voice, you can make it. That was absolutely fantastic.'
David meanwhile said Michael reminded him of a young Chris Rea.
Michael and Razy found themselves in the top three after the audience vote along with Pip and Puppy in the results show, on which Diversity performed with JLS for the first time ever.
What a wag: Judge David Hasselhoff arrived dressed as his famous Baywatch character Mitch Buchannon
All heart: Judge Amanda Holden in a heart print dress arriving at the BGT studios before the show (L) and Imogen Thomas, who was a guest in the audience
Driven man: Head judge Simon arrived at the studios in a swish black Bentley
Razy was the outright winner and automatically went through - then Michael swept the board with all four judges voting to put him through over the dog act.
They join finalists pianist Paul Gbegbaje, Ronan Parke, boogie woogie keyboard player Jean Martyn, boyband New Bounce, ballet dancer James Hobley, impressionist Les Gibson, singer Jai McDowall and comedy dancer Steven Hall.
The Britain's Got Talent final is on Saturday on ITV1 at 7pm.
Jedward make a surprise appearance too - along with Kate and Wills lookalikes
JLS and Diversity team up for the first time in the result show
Anger: A clearly furious Simon Cowell began the last live semi-final of Britain's Got Talent tonight with a statement denying fix allegations over the show
Simon Cowell launched a furious tirade against allegations that Britain's Got Talent was fixed tonight at the start of the last semi-final which saw Romanian dancer Razy Gogonea and caravan dwelling singer Michael Collings go through to the final.
Before an act had even stepped foot on stage however for the last chance to appear in tomorrow's grand finale, the show's head judge blasted the claims that BGT was rigged.
Simon continued: 'He's just 12 years old and this is a deliberate smear campaign.
It's my job to make sure that this liar is exposed and this kid is treated the same as everyone else and the public will decide.'
Simon hit out after someone claiming to be a Sony Records executive posted the allegations anonymously in an online blog.
Big sound: Michael Collings won through to the finals of Britain's Got Talent with his soulful version of Paul Weller's You Do Something To Me
It wasn't the only shock of the night either.
Despite Simon's decision to bring back French dancer Michael Moral as a wild card - even though he was voted out of the competition by the judges last Sunday - he failed to win through again.
And there was also a surprise performance from Jedward, who somewhat inexplicably appeared as backing dancers - along with Prince William and Kate lookalikes dressed in wedding attire - for contestant Antonio Popeye's bizarre eye bulging act.
Gravity defying: Romanian Razy Gogonea, who lives in Manchester with his Lancastrian fiancée was the outright winner of tonight's semi with his Matrix-inspired dance routine
However, there were few eyebrows raised when the outright winner of the public vote on tonight's show was Romanian dancer Razy before the judges decided he should be joined in the final by soulful singer Michael Collings.
They will join the likes of 12-year-old singer Ronan Parke, boyband New Bounce, impressionist Les Gibson, comedy dancer Steven Hall and singer Jai McDowall in the grand final tomorrow night on ITV1 at 7pm.
Watch vdo clip
Britains got talent - Michael Collings semi-finals, click
Razy Gogonea Britain's Got Talent Live Semi Final itv com talent UK Version, click
Britains got talent- Friday's semi-final: The Result, click
Tears: The 19-year-old was left in a flood of tears as millions of viewers watched her being comforted by host Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly
Jessica managed to get as far as stuttering: 'I didn't choose what I wanted to sing. Apparently, it was somebody...' before choking up and dissolving in tears.
Judge David Hasselhoff however tried to give her some constructive advice, saying: 'You don't have to come out with a whole big production, stay intimate with your audience.
'You did a great job though but go back to what you do best.'
But it was too late and Jessica was bereft.
The show had opened with a Welsh all-girl dance outfit called Dance Angels Elite who dazzled with a colourful routine, and received all round praise, despite some reservations from Simon.
However, there were literally some howlers on the show.
Outright winner: Jai McDowall got the most public votes on tonight's semi-final and was automatically through to Saturday's final
Belting it out: Jai sang a stunning verision the Evanescence song Bring Me To Life
Thrilled: Jai was congratulated by Ant and Dec and said he was chuffed to bits to win through to the grand final
Melanie with Tucker and Twizzle the chihuahuas were Mexican Mayhem - but the dogs failed to perform, to hilarity from the crowd.
However, judges Amanda and Michael were so embarrassed by the act and the fact that they'd put them through to the semis that they ran away from the desk.
After being made to rejoin the panel, Amanda confessed: 'It was absolutely rubbish. I found it endearing and funny first time round, tonight I was excrutiatingly embarrassed. I'm sorry.'
David was left tickled though, enthusing: 'I thought it was the most hysterical act I've ever seeen in my life. You're trying to get them drunk on tequila and you're doing the splits. I thoroughly enjoyed it.'
Jump to it: Telecommunications engineer Steven Hall from Kendal in Cumbria is through to the finals after his comedy dance mash-up
Stirring it up: Some fans were surprised that Steven got through tonight at the expense of other acts on the show
Artist Nathan Wyburn, who had auditioned by making portraits of the judges out of toast and Marmite, failed to impress when his attempt to make portaits out of candles, charred paper and glitter didn't work - and no-one recognised Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe or Michael Jackson.
Meanwhile, Amanda - along with many fans - were left shocked after Out Of The Blue - an all-male choir from Oxford - failed to go through after getting one of the best crowd reactions of the night.
They sang a mash-up of Jump by the Pointer Sisters seque into Flashdance (What a Feeling) by Irene Cara.
Hits and misses: David Hasselhoff gives a standing ovation to one of the acts in what was a very varied show - with Simon describing it as the 'most bonkers yet'
On his way: Head judge Simon looked ready for business when he left his London home and headed to the BGT studios for tonight's show with ex-girlfriend Jackie St Claire
Vroom with a view: Amanda Holden arrived at the BGT studios on teh back of a motorbike again
Even Simon had been impressed, saying: 'Guys, after what we've just sat through for most of the evening, thank God for you.
'It's original, different, very kind of Glee-ish and good choices of song, I think you did very well, congratulations.'
Whether or not Simon's criticism affected public voting is a moot point, but when it came to the results show, Jessica had failed to find herself in the top three.
On song: Out Of The Blue appeared to be a big hit on the night, but the public didn't vote them into the top three
Colourful: But Dance Angels Elite were out of step with the voting public and thus out of the show
Top three: But Edward Hall and his comedy mash-up of children's TV themes lost out to Steven Hall's novelty dance act in the judge's vote
Wonky: Nathan Wyburn's Marilyn Monroe made out of candles was not a hit with the judges
After a performance by Jessie J and her new single Mama Knows Best, instead, it was revealed that Scottish singer Jai McDowall had won outright, watched in the audience by Kerry Katona and David's girlfriend Hayley Roberts.
He got the most public votes and was through to the final with his stunning version of Evanescence's Bring Me To Life, which had wowed everyone, and got a standing ovation from judges as well as the audience.
It was then revealed the other two in the top three were effectively comedy acts - telecommunications engineer Steven Hall and his madcap dance moves, and singer Edward Reid, who sang children's TV theme songs to the tune of The Greatest Love Of All by Whitney Houston.
Pout and about: Jessie J, who performed Mama Knows Best on the results show, did her trademark 'salute and pout' look when she arrived at the studio
Penultimate show: There's just one more semi-final before the live grand final on Saturday
Down to the judges' decisions, three plumped for Steven - apart from David, who went for Edward - and Steven was through to the final and the chance to win £100,000 and to perform before The Queen at the Royal Variety show.
The last Britain's Got Talent live semi-final is on tomorrow night and Simon announced during tonight's show that he was bringing back an act, despite them being voted off before by the judges.
French body popper Michael Moral will now be on the show for a dance-off against fellow hoofer Razy Gogonea tomorrow night in the last semi.
The last Britain's Got Talent live semi final is on Friday on ITV1 at 7.30pm and 9.30pm where the last two acts will win through to Saturday's final - and the chance to win £100,000 and to play for The Queen at the Royal Variety Performance in December.
BGT fans: David Hasslehoff's girlfriend Hayley Roberts (L) and Kerry Katona (R) were both in the audience for tonight's show
Recording contract? Sony Music is said to be preparing a contract for the 12-year-old
Big fan: Cowell has always been a big supporter of Ronan, despite the fix allegations making their friendship tense
Emotional: Ronan with his mother last night after coming second in the talent show competition 
Close call: The difference between Jai, 24, and Ronan has been revealed to be only 2.5 per cent
Winner: Jai McDowall, standing with Ant and Dec, won last night's talent show and £100,000
