THE UNLIKELY father-son combination of Greek and Irish dancing from Greek Cypriots Demetris and Laki Demetriou, aka Stavros Flatley, won the UK’s phone vote to go through to the final of Britain’s Got Talent on Saturday where they will compete with singing sensation Susan Boyle..
The Cypriot combo beat favourite 12-year-old singer Shaheen Jafargholi in the hearts of the British public for first place in Tuesday night’s third semi final after wowing judges Piers Morgan, Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell during their audition in April with their skit on Riverdance.
Even grumpy Cowell called it one of his “favourite dance acts ever”.
On Tuesday night the pair went for more of a ‘Zorba the Greek’ performance with four backing dancers as they pranced around the stage shirtless, each sporting a red fez with tassle, and white tutu.
Demetriou, 40, who sports a large tattooed map of Cyprus on his stomach, told hosts Ant and Dec that he had been working out. Both seemed shocked that they had won the phone vote and Laki, 12, burst into tears.
After the performance Cowell asked: ‘Who were the dancers behind you?’ Demetriou said they were friends and used to work in his restaurant. “I should hate you. It’s sort of rubbish but brilliant. It is incredibly infectious and I think the final would be a worse place without you on Saturday,” said Cowell.
A gushing Holden said: “I just love, love, love, love, love you. It is everything this show should be about.”
Morgan, commenting on how the Queen might react if the pair won on Saturday and Stavros Flatley got to perform at the Royal Variety Performance, Piers Morgan said: “Can you imagine the moment the curtains go back?.”
According to ITV, which produces the show, the act originates from when Demetriou owned a Greek restaurant seven years ago. In the restaurant he would provide entertainment to his customers after their meal. He took centre stage and would perform acts such as Stavros Flatly. His son occasionally visited the restaurant, however he had only heard what his dad did, he had never saw the act.
“Demetriou noticed an advert for the show and thought it would be funny to enter. Lakis, short for Michalakis, said that ‘if you enter dad I’ll do it with you’. Demetriou has been teaching Lakis the routine and he’s picked up all the moves extremely quickly, considering he’s only ever danced at weddings and parties”.
After Tuesday’s performance, Demetriou turned to Laki and said: “No matter what happens, thanks for asking me to dance with you. I’ve had the time of my life, I swear,
In his blog on Tuesday night’s show, Morgan said no one had come close “for sheer comedic entertainment value”.
“The father-and-son duo are such lovely people. I met the dad backstage afterwards, and he was almost in tears of joy,” said Morgan. “They epitomise Britain’s Got Talent as far as I’m concerned.
They don’t care about their weight, looks, or image. They just want to have a laugh, and make everyone else laugh. And everyone I loves them. Can they win on Saturday? Well, it would be very amusing if they did. I’d pay £1 million to see the Queen’s face when they run out in their Cypriot tunics at the Royal Variety Show.”
