A singer who auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent and was rejected by judges Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden, is now suing the producers of the show after she was rejected by judges.

Emma Amelia Pearl Czikai, 54, has lodged complaints with Ofcom and an employment tribunal, where a trial is currently underway. She claims that she was treated unfairly and discriminated against whilst appearing on the hit ITV show, and is suing the producers and Simon Cowell for £2.5 million.

Ms Czikai performed the ballad ‘You Raise Me Up’ as her audition piece, but judges Piers Morgan and Simon Cowell hit their buzzers before she had even finished the first line. Third judge Amanda Holden waited until the contestant had reached the chorus of the song before sounding her buzzer.

At the pre-trial review held on Wednesday 21st July, Czikai accused the show’s producers of humiliating contestants, saying:

“This programme makes a select number of rich people very,very rich on the backs of the ordinary man and woman in the street through exploitation, humiliation, degradation and a re-emergence of modern-day barbarism with all its inherent cruelty.”

As a sufferer of cervical spine neuritis, Czikai also claims that she was discriminated against because of her disability. She alleges that the show wouldn’t make adjustments for her condition – such as adjusting the microphone – and that her performance suffered because of it.

During the audition, however, Simon Cowell said:

“Emma, Emma, reality check here. It’s not the music. It’s not the microphone. It’s you.”

Ms Czikai is seeking £300,000 for hurt feelings, £1 million in compensation and £1.25 in loss of earnings. If she wins her case, she has said that the money will be given to charitable causes.

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