No more Mr Nice Guy: Michael McIntyre reduced a nine-year-old boy to tears during the Birmingham auditions of Britain's Got Talent
His jovial demeanour and schoolboy chubby cheeks give audiences the impression that Michael McIntyre is a nice guy.
But the comedian may be stepping into the 'Mr Nasty' role left vacant by Simon Cowell, after it was revealed he reduced a nine-year-old boy to tears during the Birmingham auditions of Britain's Got Talent.
Schoolboy David Knight was cheered by the audience as he arrived on stage for the final audition in Birmingham dressed in a sharp suit.
He made a confident start telling the new judging panel made up of McIntyre, David Hasselhoff and Amanda Holden: ‘I’m entering Britain’s Got Talent because I did a local competition and won it.
‘After that everyone was nagging me to go on Britain’s Got Talent. In the end I thought for goodness sake. I will go on.’
McIntyre then asked David to name his favourite comedians joking that he ‘should not be influenced by the fact I am judging.’
But when youngster replied ‘Harry Hill’ he hit his red buzzer – before the routine had even started.
Supportive: Amanda Holden congratulated upset David Knight after hearing his act, saying 'You had brilliant material'
David looked physically shaken by the sound and his eyes filled with tears as he struggled to maintain his composure on the stage in front of almost a thousand people.
McIntyre tried to reassure him by insisting he was joking and retracting his buzzer but onlookers feared the boy would burst into tears on run off stage.
He managed to recover to perform his routine and received a standing ovation from the crowd and the judges.
Amanda Holden told him: ‘Congratulations. You had brilliant material. I hadn’t heard any of the jokes before and it was well delivered.’
Don't hassle the Hoff: David Hasselhoff also stuck up for the youngster, saying 'I've never seen anyone intimidate Michael like that. I love you for it'
McIntyre also heaped praise on the youngster and apologised for upsetting him.
He added: ‘David, you are very, very, talented. You are nine years old and you have been as funny talking to us as you have been in your routine.’
David Hasselhoff stuck up for David, telling him: 'You belong on that stage. I've never seen anyone intimidate Michael like that. I love you for it.'
The Baywatch star couldn't resist a dig at his fellow judge, adding: 'You are not only the best nine-year-old comedian I have seen, you are the best comedian.
McIntyre admitted he was wrong to reject the hopeful so soon, and told David: 'I'm sorry. You're a star in the making.'
New look: McIntyre and Hasselhoff have joined Holden on the BGT panel after Piers Morgan and Simon Cowell's departures
The sheepish comic appeared to regret his actions, saying later: 'He had bought a one-way ticket to tears. I thought I was going to have to jump on the stage.
'The buzzer is so loud! I hope they edit that out - I don't want to see him jumping out of his skin.'
McIntyre's representative played down the incident, telling Mail Online: '(McIntyre) doesn't shatter dreams, he's proving to be one off the most loved judges on there.'
The youngster from Leicestershire was accompanied to the audition by his parents James, who works for Audi, and Patricia, who is a nurse.
Birmingham is the last stop for the judges, who have been trawling the country since January 4 looking for new talent.
Filling the void? The 'tough judge' role has been left open since Simon Cowell left the panel
The debate has raged in recent years over whether Britain’s Got Talent is exploiting children by allowing contestants to take part at any age.
Hundreds of viewers complained over the welfare of child singers Hollie Steele and Natalie Okri, who both cried during their performances because of the pressure of the live shows.
Claude Knights, director of Kidscape, has said it would be better to develop a separate children's competition with a lower age limit so the youngest children are better protected.
It is estimated that Britain's Got Talent received 50,000 applications from children to take part in the show – over 75 per cent of the total applications made – for the 2009 programme.
The youngest-ever contestant was four-year-old Kayim-Ali Jaffer who impersonated Michael Jackson on last year’s show, prior to that it was Connie Talbot, six, who sang Somewhere Over The Rainbow and came runner-up to Paul Potts in 2007.
A spokesperson for Britain's Got Talent has yet to respond to requests for comment.
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Source:Dailymail