There was magic, there was moonlight, there was a gratuitous royal bit and another golden buzzer act. Here’s everything that happened in episode three.

Father-and-son tugged at soppy Simon’s heartstrings

The episode came to a weepy climax with family duo Tim and Jack Goodacre from Norwich, who perched on stools and strummed acoustic guitars to perform original song “The Lucky Ones”. 

Tim’s voice had a bluesy rasp, 12-year-old Jack’s had more melodic purity and the lyrics were suitably sentimental. Call me cynical but it felt shamelessly manipulative, with too many backstage shots of father-and-son bumping fists, ruffling hair, calling each other “mate” and wearing annoying hats. 

However, it gave head judge Simon Cowell a chance to show his softer side. In tribute his own son, four-year-old Eric, Cowell pressed his golden buzzer to send the Goodacres straight through to the semi-finals. David Walliams was reminded of his own son Alfred, also four, and gave the boss a kiss on the cheek. Confetti fell, tears were shed and it all made a rousing crescendo to the show.

There are now three golden buzzer acts to go, with Walliams, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon yet to press theirs – and four audition shows remaining for them to do it. 

Britain’s got Prince Louis

That was well-timed. After a week of royal good news, the show opened with a regal skit which saw Ant and Dec visit the Queen (OK, a lookalike) and vow to discover the finest talent in the land on her behalf. “Who will follow on our winner’s footsteps and perform at the Royal Variety?” asked the on-screen caption in SHOUTY BLOCK CAPS over a rippling Union Jack backdrop. 

They obviously recorded the segment back in January, before Ant McPartlin stepped down from his duties, but inserted it into this episode to surf the prevailing patriotic mood. Smart, if a smidge cynical.

Magic’s all the rage this year

Illusionists have enjoyed an increasingly high profile in recent series. Military magician Richard Jones won the contest two years ago, while Issy Simpson and Jamie Raven have finished runners-up. This series opened with Marc Spelmann getting the first golden buzzer. 

Two of the standout auditionees tonight were magicians, too. Dutch “fantasy illusionists” Magus Utopia wowed with their ambitious dream-themed routine, combining slick disappearing tricks with spooky choreography 

The other magic act couldn’t have been much more contrasting. Self-styled witch Mandy Muden – who declined to give her age (“let’s just say I’ve seen a few summers and leave it there)” – was less Las Vegas and more Lost Vagueness. 

Yet Muden was just as entertaining with a Tommy Cooper-esque act which saw her give birth to watermelon, conjure up a spade and play mind tricks on the judges. It teetered on the edge of chaos yet she was in control all along. 

Meet the mini SuBo…

It was a textbook BGT caterpillar-to-butterfly moment. Amy Marie Borg, a 16-year-old from Malta, came on-stage trembling with nerves. Yet when she launched into Ennio Morricone’s classical crossover hit Nella Fantasia – first recorded by Sarah Brightman 20 years ago – out came a soaring voice with impressive control, glass-cracking high notes and warbles in all the right places. 

Borg sounded much more mature than she looked but was refreshingly unpretentious and, vocal gifts aside, seemed likeably normal. Her sweet little brother getting tearful in the studio audience made it all the more poignant. 

…And the pint-sized Strictly

Both aged 10, Latin ballroom duo Lexie and Christopher were like a long-suffering sitcom couple during their introductory chat. She was precocious, pushy and wanted to marry him. He was eye-rollingly reluctant. 

Hence Meghan Trainor’s Dear Future Husband was perfect choice of soundtrack to their bouncy jive. The judges duly raise their “Yes” paddles. It was like Strictly Come Dancing had shrunk in the wash.

Forget his troubles, Ant McPartlin was on fine form

Once again the sight of Ant and Dec in tandem reminded us what consummate hosts they are. McPartlin, who is currently in rehab and will be absent for the live shows, was in particularly buoyant mood. 

He reassured nervous Amy Marie Borg with well-judged kindness. He cracked a corny “shake spear” gag with Magus Utopia’s prop, then hid behind the curtain when his act got scary. He danced along to Ratpackers and after his alien kiss from Baba Yega, retorted: "I had garlic bread for lunch, so the joke’s on them."

Finally, he helped young Jack Goodacre shove some gold confetti in his trouser pockets. Messrs McPartlin and Donnelly are so great at this gig, it’s hard to imagine anyone else doing it. 

Ratpackers start spreading the news

Dennis DeMille and Marvin Muoneke, aka The Ratpackers, were modern-day swing singers from that well-known casino resort of Weston-Super-Mare. Dapper dressers in three-piece suits, rakish hats and cravats, they belted out a roof-raising version of New York, New York. 

The pair lacked a little panache in their stage presence – too much shouting, stomping and air-punching, not enough ring-a-ding style – but had infectious energy. I’m not sure they’re good enough to go much further, though. 

Weirdos were back to get buzzed off

Producers had front-loaded the last two episodes with higher quality acts, meaning the past fortnight has lacked the show’s usual freakshow factor. That was rectified here, with five eccentric auditionees getting the buzzer treatment.

Jadoo’s Jingles were an American tribal belly dance group from, erm, Berkshire, who balanced swords on their heads but did boringly little else. Stand-up Martin Westgate’s laboured puns were painful. Jon Davison from East London, had three legs but was a one-trick pony, while wildlife dance duo Humanimals needed to be put down.

Mongolian throat singer Bat-Erdene Nyamdavaa sounded like a wasp trapped underwater. We did, however, enjoy Alesha Dixon telling him: “You should audition for The X Factor.” “You’d probably win it,” added David Walliams, just to rile boss Cowell. 

Are Baba Yega this year’s Boogie Storm?

Two years ago, streetdancing stormtroopers Boogie Storm busted a move all the way to third place in the final. Now a similar mute troupe made a BGT splash.

Baba Yega were a mysterious, mannequin-like alien dance quintet who emerged from a giant cardboard box and pulled off some impressive moves, including a giant worm chain. 

It was freaky but fun, not least when  Simon Cowell said: “An alien has never won this show before and we welcome you. Now go and kiss the earthlings.” Cue the bizarro baldies giving Ant and Dec an extra-terrestrial snog. Let’s hope baby versions didn’t burst out of their chests later.