The audition
ITV trailed him on 7 March 2025 with a straightforward headline: an 11-year-old rocker who was Glastonbury-ready. The audition set drew on AC/DC, Van Halen and Queen — three bands whose guitar parts are technical benchmarks rather than crowd-pleasers, and none of which was written for a child's hands.
The nickname that stuck was a little Brian May, a reference to Queen's guitarist. That comparison is a compliment about tone and phrasing rather than speed, which is a more interesting thing to say about an eleven-year-old than the usual prodigy language.
The semi-final Golden Buzzer
The series 18 results table records him receiving the Golden Buzzer during the live semi-finals — the version of the buzzer that sends an act directly into the final, bypassing the public vote at that stage.
It is a rarer award than the audition-round buzzer and a more consequential one. It is used once in a series, at the point where the field has already been cut to acts capable of holding a live show. By that stage every remaining competitor has already convinced a studio audience at least once, so the buzzer is a judgement made against genuine opposition rather than against nerves.
Fourth, with 10.4 per cent
ITV published the full vote breakdown on 31 May 2025. Pearson finished fourth in the final with 10.4 per cent of the public vote — a figure that, in a final split many ways, means a substantial national following rather than a courtesy placing.
Britain's Got Talent finals are decided in a single evening by phone and app voting, which rewards acts that are memorable in ninety seconds. A guitarist playing other people's riffs is at a structural disadvantage against novelty and spectacle, and he still came fourth.
What is documented — and what is not
Documented by ITV and the series results table: his age of 11, Wrexham as his home town, the AC/DC, Van Halen and Queen material, the live semi-final Golden Buzzer, and the fourth-place finish on 10.4 per cent of the vote. The research record gives his birth year as 2014.
Not documented here: his school, his family, who taught him, what guitar he plays, and what he has done since the 2025 series. Anything of that kind circulating online needs a source this page does not have.
Why a final place at 11 is unusual
Britain's Got Talent auditions tens of thousands of acts a year and puts about ten in a final. Child performers reach that stage regularly, but almost always as singers or dancers, where charm can carry a shortfall in technique.
An instrumentalist has nowhere to hide: the notes are either there or they are not, and an audience that knows the riff to Thunderstruck can hear a mistake instantly. Finishing fourth with that material, at 11, is a technical result as much as a popularity one.
Watch: Olly Pearson on camera
| Person | Country | Milestone | Age / Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olly Pearson | United Kingdom | Fourth place in the Britain's Got Talent 2025 final | Age 0 |
| Li-sa-X | Japan | Viral shred guitar covers from the age of eight | Age 0 |
| Peter Rosalita | Philippines | America's Got Talent season 16 | Age 10 |
| Calysta Bevier | United States | Winning Simon Cowell's Golden Buzzer on America's Got Talent at 16 (2016) | Age 16 |
| Ayla Tesler-Mabé | Canada | Viral guitar covers; Fender endorsee | — |
What is documented — and what is not
✓ Documented
- He competed on Britain's Got Talent series 18 in 2025 at the age of 11.
- His audition material included AC/DC, Van Halen and Queen; ITV called him Glastonbury-ready.
- He received the Golden Buzzer in the live semi-finals.
- He finished fourth in the final with 10.4% of the public vote.
? Unverified, disputed or wrong
- Who taught him and how long he has played.
- His school and family.
- The exact songs performed in the semi-final and final.
- Anything he has done since the 2025 series.
Questions people ask about Olly Pearson
How old is Olly Pearson?
He was 11 during the 2025 series of Britain's Got Talent. The research record gives his birth year as 2014.
Where is Olly Pearson from?
Wrexham, in north Wales.
What did he play on Britain's Got Talent?
Material by AC/DC, Van Halen and Queen in his audition — which is why ITV billed him as Glastonbury-ready.
Did Olly Pearson win Britain's Got Talent?
No. He finished fourth in the series 18 final with 10.4 per cent of the public vote, according to ITV's published breakdown.
Did he get a Golden Buzzer?
Yes — the live semi-final Golden Buzzer, according to the series results table, which sent him straight to the final.
Why is he called a little Brian May?
It is the comparison used in coverage of his audition, a reference to the Queen guitarist whose material he played.
Is Olly Pearson on Wikipedia?
Not with an article of his own. He appears in the results table for Britain's Got Talent series 18.
What is Olly Pearson doing now?
The sources used here end with the 2025 final. They do not document any later performances or releases.
Quick quiz: how well do you know Olly’s story?
Where did Olly Pearson finish in the 2025 BGT final?
Which bands did he play in his audition?
What share of the final vote did he take?
Sources
- BGTeaser: 11-year-old rocker Olly Pearson is Glastonbury-ready! — ITV — Britain's Got Talent, 2025-03-07
- Vote Percentages REVEALED for Series 18 — ITV — Britain's Got Talent, 2025-05-31
- Britain's Got Talent series 18 — Wikipedia
Checked by the Geniuses.club editorial team. Ages are given as of September 2026.
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