Just throwing this into the discussion, Fabia Cerra was last on her semis, but didn't get to the top 3. Diversity was first, but got second place with a respectable 36% (or thereabouts) of the votes in their semis.

I do think being last helps but I don't think it's a dealbreaker. In a tight contest, yes it could matter but there are also other variables to think about, like judges comments, how many acts are similar, how they performed on the night etc, etc. How many experts predicted Gareth Gates, Rhydian Roberts, Adam Lambert and Susan Boyle will easily walk the contest? Who know how the public will react to contests? In the end, for myself, I didn't plan to vote but was compelled to because I thought they gave the best performance.

Piers has a point ; it's a fact that Diversity lost heavily to Susan in the semi final.There followed a week of bad publicity for Susan and lo and behold,Diversity reversed the placings in the final.

People can say all they like how Diversity 'deserved' to win,but even *they* admitted after the final that they thought they were going to finish behind Susan once again.

You can normally tell who is giving the best performance and see the media reactions after the recorded acts are shown.

And the later semis they were obviously aware that people on here and other places were saying the last act is winning the semis every time, so deliberately placed other acts last ahead of more popular ones to debunk that.

Plus a good performance is more likely to be remembered if it is early in a semi-final of 8 acts with a shorter voting window than a final of 10 with a longer one.

The effects of the draw are probably exagerrated in BGT.The producers have a habit of putting the favourites at the end and the outsiders at the start.The whole thing becomes a self fulfilling prophecy ; the act drawn last wins the semi and those drawn early are eliminated,which becomes 'proof' that those drawn late have a huge advantage over the the others.

Of course they did - we'd spent weeks being told that the final was just a formality and Saint Susan would only need to turn up to collect the prize.

I think Julian performing last definitely robbed SF of their 3rd spot!

I can't be absolutely sure now as the video from ITV's website's been taken down. I thought Diversity were last though.

They were second to last, Susan was third last and Julian last

I highly doubt that. They might have been funny, but they had no raw talent though. Not in my opinion anyway.

I totally agree. Flawless were much better. However, ultimately, they wanted Susan to win which is why the running order was what it was.

Julian is a class above. Stavros Flatley were third rate Signature and nowhere near as funny.

But last year George won and he was on I think 7th or something in the final. Might have been 6th..... cant remember

I thought Flawless had edge in audition stages, but diversity delivered better moves on semi & finals.

Please don't apologise for having an opinion plus I absolutely agree with you. I really like Flawless but Diversity were miles better in the final. Their creativity was genius and they deserved to win imo.

I can't believe that. Why can't he just accept that Diversity were just more popular than his favourite on the night and that's why they won?
Diversity have clearly worked hard - I thought they were really overrated at their audition and didn't like them much, but from their semi-final and final performances I've become quite a big fan. I'm getting really annoyed at people making excuses for their win.

You must have great confidence in the British public picking the 'best' act in BGT and the one that most deserves to win.There are many people who felt that George Sampson wasn't the best act in the final last year ; even the judges seemed somewhat indifferent to him on the night.

I didn't say that they were the best act (obviously that's a matter of opinion), but they must have been the most popular on the night, hence the highest number of votes.
I can't stand George Sampson and think many people that night were far more deserving of winning than he was, but I've not made excuses for him winning - he clearly was the most popular with the viewers on the night, as Diversity were.

Obviously the act that tops the poll is the most popular one.As we've seen many times though,it doesn't always give us the best or most deserving winner.

The problem with phone voting is that people often vote for the most 'instant' act ie. the one that grabbed their attention for two minutes,maybe because it was the most visual one.Yet,such acts are frequently the ones that are forgotten the day after the show.

But the best or most deserving winner is a matter of opinion (I think Diversity were the most deserving as they'd improved the most, others may think Susan was because of the pressure from the media, Hollie because she came back again despite breaking down on stage, etc.)
And I think it's difficult for some people to remember acts when the media are reluctant to talk about anyone besides Susan Boyle. However, I'm sure Diversity's actual fans will remember them and that's probably all that matters to them - they won and they get to dance at the Royal Variety Show, they don't seem like the fame-hungry type.

However you cut it the above requires/is value-ladened.

Within the format and terms of the show...whether people voted for the most 'instant' act or otherwise - and I do think you are implying a rather patronizing view of the voter - ...the 'best [and] most deserving' act won because within the format and terms of the show the only objective benchmark is the final vote tally.

Piers is just miffed his Subo didnt win thats all. Its really unfair on Diversity that all attention is still on Susan. They won fairly and deserved it. Piers should learn to shut up. Maybe he should accompany Saint Susan on her trek to the US.

I agree with all said here.

Piers is sick of eating doughnuts.

The running order may have had some effect, but not enough to cause a massive change in the outcome. If Flawless really were that amazing, people would have remembered them in spite of the fact that they were on first. At the end of the day Diversity were the better act. Be happy for them, they deserve their win!

I second that. Piers Morgan is just a muppet. Julian Smith performed last, so if people voted by the running order why didn't he win? Diversity won because they were more popular with the public, end of. Accept it and move on.

I agree, but it seemed to me that between those stages Flawless changed their style of dancing to be more like Diversity in their audition.