Britain’s Got Talent viewers all thought the same thing as they watched Scottish dancer LeightonJay Halliday’s performance on Sunday night.
LeightonJay, 23, from Douglas, took to the audition stage in Manchester with a fusion of streetdance and contemporary performed in a puddle of water.
But viewers complained that it was too similar to that of previous winner George Sampson.
George was just 14 when he won the talent show in 2008 with his remixed Singing In The Rain routine and he went on to have a successful career as both a dancer and actor.
Sunday’s episode of BGT saw Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli blown away by LeightonJay’s performance, giving him a standing ovation.
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 2 Britain's Got Talent viewers all thought the same thing as they watched Scottish dancer LeightonJay Halliday's performance on Sunday night](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85365405-13462415-image-m-89_1716765553343.jpg)
Britain’s Got Talent viewers all thought the same thing as they watched Scottish dancer LeightonJay Halliday’s performance on Sunday night
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 4 George Sampson was just 14 when he won the talent show in 2008 with his remixed Singing In The Rain routine and he went on to have a successful career as both a dancer and actor](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85365497-13462415-image-m-91_1716765573978.jpg)
George Sampson was just 14 when he won the talent show in 2008 with his remixed Singing In The Rain routine and he went on to have a successful career as both a dancer and actor
Ahead of the performance, the dancer revealed that his goal was to help children feel like they have the space to be their authentic selves.
Speaking to LeightonJay after his audition, Simon said: ‘You’ll be really interested to here this story. That music was sang by somebody that came on to our American show who is blind and autistic, and he wrote that song.
‘He is going to be so blown away when I call him and say “Someone has just done the most unbelievably good audition to your song”.’
But despite the judges’ praises, viewers took to X, formerly Twitter, to voice their frustrations at the similarities between LeightonJay and George’s water-based dance routines.
They said: ‘I’m getting a George Sampson vibe with this Scottish Bloke,’; ‘Didn’t we have someone dance in water years ago?’;
‘Fake George Sampson,’; ‘Similar to George Sampson’s winning routine,’;
‘George sampson wannabe? sorry hunny you’ll never be our george,’; ‘He just did what George Sampson did a while ago,’;
‘Leighton Jay: I love this style of dance. The only negative I have is that George Sampson has done this before. I hope he changes things up if he gets to the Semi finals. Love this kind of act though so I hope he does well,’;
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 6 George in 2008](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85365509-13462415-image-m-110_1716765710168.jpg)
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 8 LeightonJay on Sunday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85365419-13462415-image-a-111_1716765725586.jpg)
But despite the judges’ praises, viewers took to X, formerly Twitter, to voice their frustrations at the similarities between LeightonJay and George’s water-based dance routines
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 10 LeightonJay, 23, from Douglas, took to the audition stage in Manchester with a fusion of streetdance and contemporary performed in a puddle of water](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85365413-13462415-LeightonJay_23_from_Douglas_took_to_the_audition_stage_in_Manche-a-117_1716765955782.jpg)
LeightonJay, 23, from Douglas, took to the audition stage in Manchester with a fusion of streetdance and contemporary performed in a puddle of water
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 12 After becoming only the show's second winner in 2008, George went on to have a flourishing career (Pictured in 2008)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85365503-13462415-image-m-113_1716765740367.jpg)
After becoming only the show’s second winner in 2008, George went on to have a flourishing career (Pictured in 2008)
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 14 85366623 13462415 image m 126 1716766163485](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366623-13462415-image-m-126_1716766163485.jpg)
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 16 85366625 13462415 image m 127 1716766177776](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366625-13462415-image-m-127_1716766177776.jpg)
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 18 85366645 13462415 image m 128 1716766194283](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366645-13462415-image-m-128_1716766194283.jpg)
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 20 85366639 13462415 image m 129 1716766220016](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366639-13462415-image-m-129_1716766220016.jpg)
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 22 85366629 13462415 image m 130 1716766233437](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366629-13462415-image-m-130_1716766233437.jpg)
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 24 85366637 13462415 image m 131 1716766251866](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366637-13462415-image-m-131_1716766251866.jpg)
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 26 85366631 13462415 image m 132 1716766270016](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366631-13462415-image-m-132_1716766270016.jpg)
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 28 They said: 'I'm getting a George Sampson vibe with this Scottish Bloke,'; 'Didn't we have someone dance in water years ago?'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366627-13462415-image-m-133_1716766286168.jpg)
They said: ‘I’m getting a George Sampson vibe with this Scottish Bloke,’; ‘Didn’t we have someone dance in water years ago?’
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 30 Later that year, he made his stage debut in the West End musical Into the Hoods, and went onto release his first single Get Up on the Dance Floor/Headz Up (Pictured winning the show in 2008)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85365499-13462415-image-m-115_1716765761283.jpg)
Later that year, he made his stage debut in the West End musical Into the Hoods, and went onto release his first single Get Up on the Dance Floor/Headz Up (Pictured winning the show in 2008)
‘George Sampson is on the phone – he wants his “Singin in the Rain” routine back!’
However not all viewers felt the same, as many were blown away by LeightonJay’s talent.
They wrote: ‘Love this boy dancing.. so different from other dancers,’; ‘You can feel his passion,’;
‘Well he can dance! Brilliantly done!’; This guy is amazing!!’;
‘Ok, this is good, its not the usual stale stuff. This lad is a very good dancer.’
After becoming only the show’s second winner in 2008, George went on to have a flourishing career.
Later that year, he made his stage debut in the West End musical Into the Hoods, and went onto release his first single Get Up on the Dance Floor/Headz Up.
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 32 85366633 13462415 image m 143 1716766389925](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366633-13462415-image-m-143_1716766389925.jpg)
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 34 85366641 13462415 image m 142 1716766373039](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366641-13462415-image-m-142_1716766373039.jpg)
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 36 85366643 13462415 image m 141 1716766359362](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366643-13462415-image-m-141_1716766359362.jpg)
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 38 85366635 13462415 image m 140 1716766342726](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366635-13462415-image-m-140_1716766342726.jpg)
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 40 However not all viewers felt the same, as many were blown away by LeightonJay's talent](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366647-13462415-image-m-139_1716766327174.jpg)
However not all viewers felt the same, as many were blown away by LeightonJay’s talent
![Viewers of Britain's Got Talent unanimously agree as they draw comparisons between LeightonJay Halliday's aquatic performance and George Sampson's iconic winning act from 16 years ago. 42 While George has continued to perform and even released his own dance DVDs, he's delved more into acting during the latter stages of his career (Pictured in Waterloo Road in 2011)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/27/00/85366555-13462415-image-a-116_1716765851425.jpg)
While George has continued to perform and even released his own dance DVDs, he’s delved more into acting during the latter stages of his career (Pictured in Waterloo Road in 2011)
While George has continued to perform and even released his own dance DVDs, he’s delved more into acting during the latter stages of his career.
In 2011, he joined the cast of Waterloo Road, and went onto star in Mount Pleasant, Casualty, and Emmerdale.
In 2019, he made a return to BGT to compete in its international show The Champions, but missed out on a spot in the final.