Britain's Got Talent Golden Buzzer Guitarist Wants To Be Best

Britain's Got Talent/Freemantle/SYCO Olly playing a red electric guitar on his knees with a look of deep concentration. He is on stage, and wearing a black back to front baseball cap, a green vest top and black shorts. His hair is light brown and reaches beyond his shoulders. — Olly Pearson wowed the Britain’s Got Talent judges and got put straight through to the semi-finals

Many of us had socially-distanced street gatherings with our neighbours during the Covid lockdowns – but it is unlikely that many of these ended up inspiring a potential future rock star.

For Olly Pearson, who was seven at the time, seeing a neighbour play guitar during one of these get-togethers was life-changing.

Now aged 11, he is heading for the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent after getting a golden buzzer for his rip-roaring audition – a medley of rock classics from bands including Queen, AC/DC and Van Halen.

Each of the talent show judges can use the golden buzzer for an act they believe is exceptional – with Amanda Holden pressing it for Olly during auditions in Blackpool.

Olly was just seven when he started learning the guitar and taking his grandad Lee around guitar shows all over the country

Family photo Lee stands with his hand on the head of a younger Olly who is holding an electric guitar. In the background there are stalls selling guitars and people browsing. Lee is balding with white hair and glasses and wearing a round neck blue sweater, he is holding a guitar case. Olly is wearing a black long sleeve t-short, black jeans and grey trainers. — Olly was just seven when he started learning the guitar and taking his grandad Lee around guitar shows all over the country

“I think I was so focused on my guitar, I didn’t even notice the judges talking,” Olly, from Wrexham, said.

“It was just unbelievable to see everyone standing up… I still can’t believe now. I didn’t expect it.”

Olly described the experience as “nerve-wracking” but “incredible” from the second he played the first chord.

His journey first began after asking his grandfather for lessons.

The pair then spent hours perfecting chords and techniques – and Olly hasn’t looked back.

Lee says his grandson is so good that Olly now teaches him

Lee sits in a blue-walled room with guitars on the wall and the doors open to a conservatory in the background. He is wearing a dark grey jumper and is playing a cream-coloured electric guitar, while looking at his grandson. Olly is standing next to him playing a dark brown electric guitar. The boy is wearing a back-to -front baseball cap and a black vest top with grey jeans. He is also wearing a beaded necklace. — Lee says his grandson is so good that Olly now teaches him

Olly’s grandfather Lee Hughes was one of the hundreds watching on at the theatre as he impressed the judges, including Simon Cowell, in an episode that aired last week.

Lee said it was clear his grandson had a “natural talent” from the outset.

The 79-year-old, who learnt guitar as a teenager, said he and Olly started off doing six or seven hours of lessons a week playing guitar classics from Lee’s era – from acts such as The Shadows and the Beatles.

“He loved it – and he got better so quickly,” said Lee.

“His timing was so good from the start.

“Within two years, he was catching me up – now he teaches me.”

He added watching his grandson’s performance on Britain’s Got Talent was the “best experience” of his life.

Olly says he still can’t believe he got the golden buzzer

Britain's Got Talent/Freemantle/SYCO Olly with his red electric guitar on Britain's Got Talent. He is holding one hand in the air with a golden background. — Olly says he still can’t believe he got the golden buzzer

Olly’s mum Sarah Pearson said his progression “happened so fast”, adding he goes straight to his guitars as soon as he gets home from school.

“In four years he’s gone from doing his first guitar performance for the neighbours to Britain’s Got Talent.”

“It’s such a passion. He’s always practising, always learning,” she said.

Olly’s proud family has kept some of the confetti from the golden buzzer in a jar

A side table in a living room with a bronze coloured vase, a mock newspaper front page with a picture of Olly and the headline Golden Buzzer and another card that reads Let's Go Olly. There is also a clear glass jar that contains gold confetti from the Britain's Got Talent Show. — Olly’s proud family has kept some of the confetti from the golden buzzer in a jar

Olly said it was thanks to his grandfather, who he described as a “good teacher”, that he found his love of playing.

He has also had lessons at music school Wrexham Sounds, where he has been able to develop his love of classic rock and heavy metal.

Since his BGT performance aired, he has spent the week being asked for his autograph by the younger children at school and enjoying the congratulations from his community.

But now he is focused on the semi-finals, coming up in April or May, and a top secret performance that will be even “bigger, better and wilder”.

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