Diversity is lauded by viewers for a ‘marvellous’ homage to British music

Diversity stunned audiences at the Party at the Palace Jubilee concert on Saturday with its show-stopping homage to British pop music.

The pro performers paid tribute to the UK’s history of artists, from the Beatles to the Spice Girls with an epic montage to stars ranging from Sixties icons The Beatles to modern legends such as The Spice Girls and Stormzy.

Choreographed by Ashley Banjo the performance was lauded by viewers who flooded Twitter with their reaction. 

‘Perfection’: Dance troupe Diversity stunned audiences at the Party at the Palace Jubilee concert on Saturday with its show-stopping homage of British pop music

Grabbing the mic himself, Ashley narrated the dance with a history of the UK’s incredible musical exports.

Incredulous applause was matched by reactions on social media, where the act was praised as ‘perfection’.

Presenter Naga Munchetty took to Twitter to call the experience ‘just bloody marvellous’. 

Lucy Powell MP wrote: ‘#diversity homage to 70 years of British pop music was brilliant. One of our greatest exports and such an important part of British culture.’

Homage: The pro performers paid tribute to the UK’s history of artists, from the Beatles to the Spice Girls

A history of pop: Their love-letter to pop also included choreography to more contemporary acts, such as One Direction and Stormzy

 

Another praised Diversity as being ‘in a class of their own’, saying: ‘They are a world class act’

Elsewhere one viewer tweeted: ‘#Diversity just get it right every time. Perfection.’

Another user penned: ‘What I’d give just to spend 10 minutes inside the brain of @AshleyBanjo – the creativity is just next level.’

‘I have to say that was fabulous from Diversity,’ another user added. 

One Tweet said: ‘Wow, #Diversity was excellent! What a performance.’ 

Another praised Diversity as being ‘in a class of their own’, saying: ‘They are a world class act.’ 

Iconic: Others remarked on the fun elements of the performance, such as the nod to Geri Halliwell’s iconic Union Jack dress

 One commenter said: ‘I am by no means a royalist and yes I think it’s money that could be better spent but #Diversity are incredible’

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Elsewhere a user penned: ‘Whether you like Ashley Banjo and Diversity, whether they can sing or not, whatever everyone else on here wants to moan about, you can’t take away the fact they’re skilful at storytelling through their choreography and always put on an epic show.’

The positive feedback came even from those not basking in the festive spirit.

One commenter said: ‘I am by no means a royalist and yes I think it’s money that could be better spent but #Diversity are incredible.’

Others remarked on the fun elements of the performance, such as the nod to Geri Halliwell’s iconic Union Jack dress.

British pop: At one point the dance group creatively used both dancers and props to create a pedestrian crossing – a shoutout to The Beatles’ Abbey Road, prompting awe from social media

 

Others remarked on the fun elements of the performance, such as the nod to Geri Halliwell’s iconic Union Jack dress 

At one point the dance group creatively used both dancers and props to create a pedestrian crossing – a shoutout to The Beatles’ Abbey Road, prompting awe from social media.

‘#Diversity how brilliant were you guys tonight, fantastic..that Abbey Rd crossing… genius !’

‘Diversity giving me life! What a performance,’ another Tweet said. 

It would seem the dance troupe also gained some new fans, as one wrote: ‘My 75 year old partner was blown away by Diversity, haviing never seen or heard of them before. 

‘I just gave him a potted history. Great display as always.’ 

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

It comes after 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.

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

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. 

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

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.’

Emotional: Diversity referenced their last controversial performance with a clip montage of the reports about the complaints they garnered last time around

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.

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 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 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