Diversity returned to the Britain’s Got Talent stage on Wednesday evening for the first time since Ofcom was hit with nearly 25,000 complaints for their Black Lives Matters dance routine during the 2020 final of the show.
The group’s choreography, inspired by the protests following the death of George Floyd in May that year, angered some viewers who thought the ITV show was being used to push a cause rather than showcase talent.
And the dance troupe – who were crowned winners of the ITV series in 2009 – gave another powerful performance which portrayed the message of social media and connectivity.
Controversial: Diversity returned to the Britain’s Got Talent stage on Wednesday evening for the first time since Ofcom was hit with nearly 25,000 complaints for their Black Lives Matters dance routine during the 2020 final of the show
Diversity referenced their last controversial performance with a clip montage of the reports about the complaints they garnered last time around.
They then took the knee while a voiceover said: ‘Exposure to this type of connection can cause your entire outlook to change. It fills you with hope and joy. Sometimes it fills you with struggle and pain.
The group’s leader Ashley, 33, then took his microphone and stated: ‘You know what I’ve learned, you can’t be angry at the rain.
Powerful: The group’s choreography, inspired by the protests following the death of George Floyd in May that year, angered some viewers who thought the ITV show was being used to push a cause rather than showcase talent
Amazing: The dance troupe – who were crowned winners of the ITV series in 2009 – gave another powerful performance which portrayed the message of social media and connectivity
Emotional: Diversity referenced their last controversial performance with a clip montage of the reports about the complaints they garnered last time around
He continued: ‘It simply doesn’t known how to fall upwards this rain and sometimes people love you, sometimes they complain.
He then went on to declare: ‘You have to stand by what you believe in if you want to make change
‘We said what we said, and we will say it again. Nothing but love to those who stood by our name’
A voiceover then said: ‘Exposure to this type of connection can cause your entire outlook to change. It fills you with hope and joy. Sometimes it fills you with struggle and pain’
The group’s leader Ashley, 33, then took his microphone and stated: ‘You know what I’ve learned, you can’t be angry at the rain’
He added: ‘We said what we said, and we will say it again. Nothing but love to those who stood by our name’
Diversity rose to fame when they triumphed on the ITV talent competition in 2009, beating Susan Boyle who finished in second place.
Their polarising performance during the 2020 final received complaints in the weeks after it aired.
The routine, which narrated the senseless death of black man George Floyd beneath the knee of a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota in May of that year divided fans after it aired during the live show in the September.
Talented: Diversity rose to fame when they triumphed on the ITV talent competition in 2009, beating Susan Boyle who finished in second place
Romance: Before the moving performance, dancer Jordan Banjo put on a loved-up display with his girlfriend Naomi Courts as they walked hand-in-hand down the street
Looking good: Naomi put on a busty display in a white corset crop top and matching jeans while Jordan rocked an all black ensemble
The negative response made it the second most complained about TV moment ever at that time, just behind Roxanne’s Pallett’s notorious appearance on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018, with a record 25,237 objections.
ITV bosses stood by Diversity troupe leader Ashley after the performance provoked a heated response.
Ashley recently spoke to The Mirror about the dance, which triggered the trolls to rush to their keyboards once again.
Controversial: Some viewers claimed the ITV show was being used to push a cause rather than showcase talent (Ashley Banjo pictured during performance in 2020)
Admitting the abuse is something which ‘happens all the time,’ Ashley added to The Mirror: ‘I did this slot on GMB to talk about how life-changing it was winning a BAFTA for the routine and I went on Twitter afterwards, and it was just like a stream of comments. The negative ones always cut through.’
Every night, I go down and take that knee and there’s a little part of me that just kind of goes, “I wonder what’s gonna happen”. You just don’t know,’ he said.
The group and the show were cleared of any wrongdoing by the broadcasting regulator.
The street dance group are currently on their nationwide Connected tour. They have incorporated the famous routine into their set and Ashley admitted there is still an element of nerves when it comes to performing it.
The Britain’s Got Talent final airs Sunday 5 June at 7:30pm on ITV.
Tour: The street dance group are currently on their nationwide Connected tour. They have incorporated the famous routine into their set and Ashley admitted there is still an element of nerves when it comes to performing
