Ant McPartlin has reflected on his initial reaction to Susan Boyle's audition on Britain’s Got Talent in 2009, describing it as unremarkable at the time. The 50-year-old presenter revealed that, while the performance ultimately became iconic and launched the Scottish singer’s international career, he initially regarded it as just another good audition among many.

McPartlin explained that he did not find the audition particularly striking during the live show, stating that he only fully appreciated its impact upon rewatching it and seeing the strong reactions from the judges and audience. "I don’t really remember it being remarkable, not as remarkable as when I watched it back and you saw the judges’ reactions and audience’s reaction," he said. "It was a good audition but we’d seen a lot of good auditions that day."

His co-presenter Declan Donnelly echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the audition as a compelling example of the importance of not judging people based on appearances. Donnelly called it a "fantastic example" of why one should “never judge a book by its cover.”

Boyle, who hails from West Lothian, went on to become a global star following her breakout performance, which resonated widely for its unexpected and powerful display of vocal talent. The 2009 audition has since been remembered as a pivotal moment in reality television, illustrating the unpredictable nature of talent shows and their ability to surprise both judges and viewers alike.