We have received a query on our WhatsApp tip line (+91 9247052470) seeking clarification on the authenticity of a video clip which appears to be of the reality show ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, wherein a contestant who recites verses from the Quran leaves the judges and the audience of the show spellbound with his singing ability. The same video is also doing rounds on social media (here and here) with a claim ‘Quran recitation at the British got talent’. Through this article let’s fact-check the authenticity of the video in the post.
Claim: Video of a contestant of Britain’s Got Talent reciting verses form the Quran.
Fact: This is actually a parody video created using footage of judge’s reaction of another popular talent show. The video is created by an Indonesian YouTuber Aya Ibrahim. He shared the video as a parody of ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ on his social media accounts. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The group of judges in the video actually are part of another popular talent show called the ‘The X Factor UK’. Upon YouTube search with relevant keywords, we came across a video of this particular show wherein the judges are seen to express the same reactions for a contestant’s (not the one in the viral video) signing performance as in the video in the post.
The video footage of a person reciting verses from the Quran is actually extracted from a parody video posted on a YouTube channel called ‘Aya Ibrahim Channel’ on 11 December 2019. The title of the video reads ‘DEDEN TOMPEL MEMBUAT JURI MENANGIS GOLDEN BUZZER AMERICA’S GOT TALENT | BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT PARODI’. According to the credits displayed at the end of the video, Aya Ibrahim is the scriptwriter, director, and make-up artist of this video. He digitally added the clips of the judges’ reactions from another talent show to that of a clip of him singing in front of a ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ hoarding.
Further, the same YouTuber posted a shorter version of the same video on his Instagram with the title ‘BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT PARODY’. All these establish the fact that the viral video is a digitally edited video rather than a contestant reciting Quranic verses in Britain’s Got Talent. The same video was earlier fact-checked by AFP.
To sum it up, a parody video is being shared as Quran recitation by a contestant in ‘Britain’s Got Talent’.
