Britain's Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon was in "floods of tears" over Diversity's BLM performance
Alesha Dixon has revealed she was in "floods of tears" over Diversity's Black Lives Matter performance on Britain's Got Talent.
The performance, which took place on the September 5 show, saw stand-in judge Ashley Banjo and the rest of the Diversity dance troupe present a routine that explored the events of 2020 so far, including the coronavirus pandemic, the Black Lives Matter marches and the death of George Floyd.
While the performance was very well received by most, it also attracted 3,000 complaints to Ofcom, with some arguing that the routine was too political for a Saturday night programme.
Speaking about her reaction to the performance to The Mirror, Alesha said: "On the day of the performance, the camera didn't actually pan to the judges and I was sitting there in floods of tears.
Watch: The Diversity BLM performance that received over 10,000 complaints
"I had this overwhelming feeling of 'Wow I can't believe I am watching this on BGT'. It felt really important."
Alesha previously showed her support for Diversity's routine, while denying that she threatened to walk away from the show if it apologised for the performance.
"For the record I never threatened to quit BGT," she tweeted. "I've had no conversations with ITV regarding this matter and Katie Hind made up this story, I do however stand by and support @AshleyBanjo and Diversity. #IamNotYourMediaPuppet."
Related: Britain's Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon slams criticism of Diversity's Black Lives Matter dance
Earlier this week, Britain's Got Talent released a statement in full support of Diversity's performance.
An ITV spokesman said: "Britain's Got Talent has always been an inclusive show, which showcases diversity and supports strong storytelling in all forms and ITV stands behind the decision to broadcast Diversity's performance on BGT.
"Ashley and the group are a great example of the talent, creativity and diversity of modern Britain and their performance was an authentic, heartfelt response to many of the issues and events which have affected society in 2020."
The Britain's Got Talent semi-finals continue on Saturday evenings on ITV.
For more information on how you can support Black Lives Matter, please visit its official website or donate here. Readers can also donate to the UK anti-discrimination group Stand Up To Racism, and the Unite Families & Friends Campaign, which supports those affected by deaths in police, prison and psychiatric custody.
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