OMEN
05-26-2010, 04:21 PM
Britain's Got Talent double act Othelio have been axed from the show due to a dark secret from Deborah Stephens's past.
The 42-year-old singer has a link to a double murder after watching in horror as her former partner Michael Maddison battered two men to death in 1992. He later claimed that he was provoked as his two victims had sexually harassed Deborah.
Stephens, who was merely an innocent bystander as the killings took place, did not mention her history to Got Talent producers when she auditioned with husband Craig earlier this year. However, her secret was later exposed in the media.
According to The Sun, Othelio originally made it through to next week's live semi-finals but producers have now scrapped them from the lineup.
A show source explained: "Bosses felt there was too much focus on their past than their actual act. This scrutiny wouldn't be beneficial to them. The fact they didn't tell us about their past didn't help. We could have planned how to deal with it but instead it came out of the blue."
A Britain's Got Talent spokeswoman said: "I can confirm that Othelio won't be progressing further on the show. We have a duty of care and felt it was best they didn't continue."
Stephens confirmed that she was "disappointed" over the decision. She told the Daily Record: "I'm just gutted, I suppose."
DS
The 42-year-old singer has a link to a double murder after watching in horror as her former partner Michael Maddison battered two men to death in 1992. He later claimed that he was provoked as his two victims had sexually harassed Deborah.
Stephens, who was merely an innocent bystander as the killings took place, did not mention her history to Got Talent producers when she auditioned with husband Craig earlier this year. However, her secret was later exposed in the media.
According to The Sun, Othelio originally made it through to next week's live semi-finals but producers have now scrapped them from the lineup.
A show source explained: "Bosses felt there was too much focus on their past than their actual act. This scrutiny wouldn't be beneficial to them. The fact they didn't tell us about their past didn't help. We could have planned how to deal with it but instead it came out of the blue."
A Britain's Got Talent spokeswoman said: "I can confirm that Othelio won't be progressing further on the show. We have a duty of care and felt it was best they didn't continue."
Stephens confirmed that she was "disappointed" over the decision. She told the Daily Record: "I'm just gutted, I suppose."
DS