Declan Donnelly covers Simon Cowell in toilet paper as BGT descends into chaos

Britain’s Got Talent host Declan Donnelly covered head judge Simon Cowell in toilet paper in chaotic scenes during the ITV show’s fourth live semi-final.

Donnelly joined one of the acts, self-styled comedy inventor Marty Putz, for the end of his performance which saw the pair launch the rolls at Cowell and fellow judge David Walliams, completely covering them.

All four judges, including Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon pressed their buzzers to voice their disapproval with the Canadian-born act, whose performance consisted of largely prop-based, slapstick jokes.

Holden, who had left her seat before the end of the act to avoid objects Putz was firing into the audience, came on to the stage to throw water at Putz.

Holden joked that she would be sending Putz “the dry cleaning bill” before calling his performance “clowning at its best”.

The show began with a reference to the moment a crew member accidentally appeared during one of the performances in the previous programme.

As the stage doors parted, the same unfortunate stagehand who unintentionally appeared during magical dance group Acrocadabra’s act jokingly mimicked his shocked reaction at having appeared on camera.

Donnelly then humorously hurried him off the set to complete a dance routine to Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

After introducing the judging panel Donnelly confirmed the judges will be putting one of the unsuccessful semi-finalists from the week through to Sunday’s final as a wildcard.

One act hoping to compete for a chance to perform at the Royal Variety Performance was 16-year-old opera singer Amy Marie Borg from Malta.

Borg performed a rendition of opera standard Caruso which prompted a standing ovation from the judges and the audience at London’s Hammersmith Apollo.

Cowell, leading the praise for Borg, commended her vocal power and control as well as the emotion she injected into her performance.

Cowell, 58, even predicted that Borg would one day sing on Broadway and that her appearance on the show was an “important moment in her life”.

Borg was reduced to tears by the positive reaction she received.

Father and son duo music act Jack and Tim played an original song called Big Wide World.

The pair had progressed directly to the semi-finals after Cowell pressed his golden buzzer during their audition.

Walliams described their performance at “like watching a concert”.

Britain’s Got Talent continues on ITV.