Fayth Ifil Now: The Golden Buzzer of BGT's Pandemic Series

Biography

The golden buzzer

Series fourteen of Britain's Got Talent began on ITV on 11 April 2020, with pre-recorded audition episodes running to 30 May. Five golden buzzers were pressed: for Ifil, listed as a 13-year-old singer; for the singing duo Honey and Sammy, aged 15 and 43; for the comic singer and pianist Jon Courtenay, 46; for the stand-up comedian Nabil Abdulrashid, 34; and for the choir Sign Along with Us, whose members ranged from 4 to 58.

The series records do not state which judge pressed hers. The audition panel was David Walliams, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell, with Ant and Dec presenting.

The series that stopped

The audition shows had been filmed before the pandemic and aired as planned. Production of everything else halted in March 2020, when government measures in the United Kingdom prevented live television work. The live rounds did not resume until the autumn: the semi-finals and final ran from 30 August to 10 October 2020.

They were a different programme by then. The studio used a virtual audience, hosts, judges, contestants and crew were kept apart, and the semi-finals were pre-recorded, which changed the voting format. Simon Cowell, injured, was replaced for the semi-finals and final by Ashley Banjo, and Amanda Holden was promoted to head judge. Ifil auditioned into one show and competed in another.

The semi-final

Ifil performed in the first semi-final, broadcast on 5 September 2020 to 7.13 million viewers — the largest semi-final audience of that series. She took 13.2 percent of the vote and finished third, then lost the judges' vote and was eliminated.

Third place on a Britain's Got Talent semi-final night is the closest possible miss: the public vote sends one act through, and the judges choose a second from those immediately behind. Ifil was in that group and was not the one chosen.

The final she did not reach

The final was broadcast on 10 October 2020 to 7.12 million viewers. Jon Courtenay won it with 35.7 percent, one of the widest margins the show has produced; the choir Sign Along with Us came second on 15.3 percent, the comic juggler Steve Royle third on 14.1 and Nabil Abdulrashid fourth on 13.9.

Three of the five golden buzzer acts took the top four places, and one of them won. Ifil, the fourth, went out in the first semi-final; Honey and Sammy did not reach the final either. In a series where the buzzer otherwise predicted the top four with some accuracy, Ifil was one of the two recipients it did not carry that far.

What is documented — and what is not

Firm: her age of 13, her act as a singer, the golden buzzer in series fourteen, and 13.2 percent for third place and elimination in the first semi-final on 5 September 2020.

Not documented in the sources gathered here: her home town, her school, her family, the songs she sang, which judge pressed the buzzer, and anything about her after September 2020. There is no Wikipedia article in her own name; she appears inside the series fourteen tables. The research note behind this record also flags that her nationality is assumed from the show rather than stated in the source.

Achievement Timeline

Fayth Ifil — every milestone on this page, in order.

11 April – 30 May 2020

Pre-recorded audition episodes of seriPre-recorded audition episodes of series 14 are broadcast; Ifil receives a golden buzzer

March 2020

Production halts as pandemic restrictiProduction halts as pandemic restrictions stop live television work

30 August – 10 October 2020

The live rounds resume, with a virtualThe live rounds resume, with a virtual audience and pre-recorded semi-finals

5 September 2020

Ifil takes 13.2 percent in semi-final Ifil takes 13.2 percent in semi-final 1, finishes third and is eliminated

10 October 2020

Jon Courtenay wins the series with 35.Jon Courtenay wins the series with 35.7 percent

Watch: Fayth Ifil on camera

Golden girl Fayth Ifil stands up with her glittering voice - Semi-Finals BGT…Britain's Got Talent

Historical Comparison

Person	Country	Milestone	Age / Stat
Ravi Adelekan	United Kingdom	Winning Alesha Dixon's Golden Buzzer on Britain's Got Talent, 2024	Age 6
Peter Rosalita	Philippines	America's Got Talent season 16	Age 10
Roberta Battaglia	Canada	A Golden Buzzer and a finals place on America's Got Talent season 15	Age 11
Fayth Ifil	United Kingdom	Golden buzzer act, Britain's Got Talent series 14 (2020)	Age 13
Calysta Bevier	United States	Winning Simon Cowell's Golden Buzzer on America's Got Talent at 16 (2016)	Age 16

What is documented — and what is not

✓ Documented

One of five golden buzzer acts in series 14, listed as a 13-year-old singer
Finished third in semi-final 1 on 5 September 2020 with 13.2 percent and lost the judges' vote
The series was interrupted by the pandemic; its live rounds ran from 30 August to 10 October 2020

? Unverified, disputed or wrong

No home town, school or family detail in the sources gathered here
No record of the songs she performed or of which judge pressed the buzzer
Nothing documented after September 2020, and no Wikipedia article of her own
Nationality is taken from the show rather than stated in the source table

Questions people ask about Fayth Ifil

How old was Fayth Ifil on Britain's Got Talent?

Thirteen, in the 2020 series. No source in this record gives a date of birth.

Did Fayth Ifil get a golden buzzer?

Yes. She was one of five in series 14, with Honey and Sammy, Jon Courtenay, Nabil Abdulrashid and Sign Along with Us.

Did Fayth Ifil reach the final?

No. She finished third in the first semi-final on 5 September 2020 with 13.2 percent and lost the judges' vote.

Why was the 2020 series split across the year?

The audition episodes were pre-recorded and aired in the spring; production stopped in March 2020 under pandemic restrictions and the live rounds were not staged until 30 August to 10 October.