Britain's Got Talent returns – and David Walliams sobs as he awards children's choir his Golden Buzzer

Viewers were delighted to see the presenting duo on stage together again, one year on from Ant's drink driving conviction and break from the spotlight.

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But the waterworks really started when the Flakefleet Children's Choir took to the stage...

The group – led by headteacher Dave McPartlin (no relation to Ant) – performed an energetic rendition of Queen's Don't Stop Me Now in an array of fancy dress, bringing the BGT audience to their feet as a very emotional Walliams started sobbing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=itSbV3YiRkI

The Britain's Got Talent judge was seen in floods of tears as the performance concluded, eventually reaching for the tissues before he dramatically hit his Golden Buzzer and sent the kids through to the live semi-finals.

"It was just one of the most joyous things I've ever seen," he told them. "You've made all our hearts soar today and it's what you want your childhood to have been like and it's what you want your children's childhood to be like which is just full of unbridled joy."

Walliams wasn't the only judge to get emotional as Alesha Dixon was also seen wiping a tear away, while Simon Cowell praised headteacher Dave: "You are so important to kids this age to remind them to have fun. Your joy that you radiate is infectious and this to me is what Britain's Got Talent is all about".

The choir will progress to the show's week of live semi-finals towards the end of May. Britain's Got Talent continues on Saturday 13th April at 8pm on ITV.