Britain's Got Talent viewers were left divided during Saturday night's live final as favourite-to-win Sonny Green delivered an emotional spoken-word performance dedicated to his late grandfather.
The 30-year-old market trader from Southend-on-Sea entered the final as the bookmakers' favourite to win the £250,000 prize and secure a coveted spot at the Royal Variety Performance.
Mr Green returned to the ITV stage for one final bid to win the competition, opening his performance with the words: "This is for my grandad, Martin Green."
His spoken-word piece reflected on family, loss and the things people would say if given one final chance before leaving the world, leaving the auditorium in silence ahead of the public vote.
Sonny Green dedicated his poem to his grandad
|ITV / YOUTUBE
However, not everyone watching at home was impressed.
As the performance aired, social media quickly filled with contrasting reactions.
Some viewers praised the poet's emotional storytelling while others accused him of relying too heavily on personal tragedy.
One viewer wrote on X: "That hit me in the heart and he always makes me feel the things I try to push away… well done, Sonny Green for a great performance. No bells or whistles. Just silence and thoughts. Beautiful."
Some viewers accused the poet of 'emotional blackmail'
|ITV / YOUTUBE
Another added: "Sonny Green - really like this guy the way he speaks just hits home! Fantastic!! #BGT."
A third said: "He gets me every time…. This is Sonny Green making us reflect on what we would say if we could only say one final thing before we leave this world."
The poet had already established himself as one of the competition's standout contestants after receiving Simon Cowell's Golden Buzzer during the live semi-finals.
His previous performance, a tribute to his sons, reduced judges Amanda Holden and KSI to tears and secured his place in Saturday night's grand final.
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Mr Green is a 31-year-old spoken-word poet, rapper, actor, and market trader from Southend-on-Sea, Essex
But despite his popularity, some viewers remained unconvinced.
"All he is doing is preaching and it's just a sob story. It's not a talent and anyone could do what he does," one critic wrote on X.
Another viewer posted: "I'm not being mean but Sonny Green doesn't do it for me it's just a pity vote #BGT."
A third complained: "The #BGT acts are just who can virtue signal and emotionally blackmail people the most."
One particularly critical response read: "Sonny Green what a pile of s***, very sorry about your dad but very low to use him to gain votes #BGT."
Another viewer claimed: "The farmers choir who didn't even write their own song, Sonny Green who isn't even a poet just a glorified motivational speaker, there's no talent, just constant grifting #BritainsGotTalent."
The poet was Simon Cowell's golden buzzer act
|ITV
Mr Green was one of 10 acts competing in the 2026 final alongside singer Matty Juniosa, dance group LMA, fire juggler Liwei Yang, drone artists Celestial, dog act Anastasiia and Salsa, magicians Fabian Fox and Rafferty Coope, comedian Ted Hill and The Hawkstone Farmers Choir.
Earlier in the evening, viewers had also voiced frustration over the apparent absence of the show's traditional wildcard act, a feature that has appeared in previous finals.