The Royal Variety Performance gets a thumbs down from viewers as they savage ITV extravaganza for its ‘depressing’ line-up and slam host Bradley Walsh for his ’embarrassing’ stand-up routine – but THREE stars are credited with saving the show

Viewers have given a firm thumbs down to the 2023 Royal Variety Performance after it finally hit screens on Sunday night.

Despite a star-studded lineup for the guests of honour, The Prince and Princess of Wales, many fans took to social media to malign the ‘depressing’ names that took to the stage.

Others took aim at the event’s host Bradley Walsh, and slammed his stand-up routine as ‘painfully unfunny’ and ’embarrssing,’ with The Chase frontman even taking a swipe at The Royals in attendance.

However, while much of the evening was savaged by viewers, including Britain’s Got Talent winner Viggo Venn and comedian Simon Brodkin, three names earned plenty of praise. 

Cher, Hannah Waddingham and Beverley Knight were all lauded by fans watching for bringing a touch of star power to proceedings, with some noting they even ‘saved’ the show.

Viewers have given a firm thumbs down to the 2023 Royal Variety Performance after it finally hit screens on Sunday night

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one posted: ‘#RoyalVarietyPerformance by the looks of some of the comments I’m glad I skipped the shebang.’

‘#RoyalVarietyPerformance the highlight of the evening was Bradley Walsh’s opening rant about no gong, all down hill after that, hit rock bottom with that p**t and his high vis,’ a second added.

A third posted: ‘I bet King Charles was glad he decided to send his son and stay snug at home in his comfies than going out that night to endure’ while one added: ‘Not sure what’s more depressing, the quality of the acts on offer (with one or two exceptions) or the comments on Twitter.’

Bradley was slammed by ITV viewers as he kickstarted the show with a ‘cringe’ stand-up routine.

The Chase presenter first appeared in the annual show 30 years ago and has now taking charge of proceedings. 

However, just minutes into the show fans took to social media to complain about his ‘boring’ opening as he made an awkward joke at the expense of Prince William and Kate Middleton. 

The Princess and Prince of Wales attended the event at the Royal Albert Hall with Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her husband Prince Daniel, who were in the UK on an official visit.

William and Kate entered the event with beaming smiles before they settled into the balcony with the Swedish royals while the crowd was giving them a standing ovation.

Despite a star-studded lineup for the guests of honour, The Prince and Princess of Wales, many fans took to social media to malign the ‘depressing’ names that took to the stage

ITV viewers were quick to take to X, formerly known as Twitter, to complain how ‘cringe’ the bit was

Bradley made a joke on the ‘royal highnesses’ being in attendance, with the camera switching to William and Kate as they laughed away – despite Omid Scobie’s ‘royal racist’ claims which were published on the very same day.

Bradley’s awkward joke started with him greeting the ‘royal highness, or royal highnesses’, with him pretending to stumble over the word several times.

‘It doesn’t sound right, your royal highnessesses? There’s too many “ssessess”, innit? Your royal highness… your royal highnessesses?,’ he said.

‘It should be like cactus, cactussess, cacti. Your royal highness, highnessess and highni. That’s it. I’ve got it. Your royal highni.’

Meanwhile Kate and William as well as Victoria and Daniel were seen laughing awkwardly at the joke at their expense.

The royal couple showed no signs of anguish following the release of Omid Scobie’s book Endgame, the couple looked delighted to greet the crowd.

But viewers were quick to take to X, formerly known as Twitter, to complain how ‘cringe’ the bit was. 

One wrote: ‘Bradley Walsh stand-up comedy isn’t for you.’

A second agreed: ‘Bradley you are going on a bit too much about noting having an OBE you’re not good at stand-up.’

Also on the bill was Britain’s Got Talent winner Viggo Venn, who bagged his place on the bill after his controversial Britain’s Got Talent win back in June 

Viewers at home were left well and truly divided while some claimed the Norwegian comedian ‘hysterical’ others branded him a ‘cringeworthy embarrassment’ 

Comedian Simon Brodkin also sparked a furious backlash with his own stand-up routine, after he made a ‘sick and insensitive’ Covid joke 

While Simon’s joke earned plenty of laughter from the audience, many viewers watching at home took offence, and slammed the jibe with many noting they lost loved ones to Covid

Another penned: ‘Bradley Walsh absolutely painfully unfunny. This is one of the worst routines I have ever seen in my life. Hopefully the end of this ‘career’.’

The evening saw a slew of big names taking to the stage, including Paloma Faith, McFly and the cast of shows Sister Act and Crazy For You.

Also on the bill was Britain’s Got Talent winner Viggo Venn, who bagged his place on the bill after his controversial Britain’s Got Talent win back in June. 

Some viewers even used the hashtag #CancelBGT at the time as they took to Twitter to criticise the results of the public vote.

But now back on stage and decked out in his high vis, Viggo performed his own unique style of comedy and crowned a random audience member ‘King Charles’ as he presented him a golden jacket.

Viewers at home were left well and truly divided while some claimed the Norwegian comedian ‘hysterical’ others branded him a ‘cringeworthy embarrassment’.

One furious fan said he ‘made a mockery of both BGT and the Royal Variety’, while a second typed: ‘Motored watching him, I had to turn it off’. 

With a third saying: ‘Embarrassing, cringe. Did he win [BGT] as a protest vote’.  And: ‘Embarrassing not entertaining in the slightest’. 

A fourth agreed stating:  ‘The Royal Variety perfomance this year is shockingly bad and Vigo Venn highlighted that’. Someone else branded his on stage antics: ‘Pathetic’. 

But others were loving the show and said his set left them in ‘stitches’, with one commenting: ‘Great to see Viggo back’.

With another fan writing: Made me laugh a lot tonight and BGT. Comedy is subjective’.

A fourth gushed:  ‘II’m sorry but Viggo Venn is hilarious, I’m in stitches right now’. And: ‘Well I thought he was funny’. With a fifth adding: ‘He makes me laugh’ and fifth wrote: ‘It made me laugh’. A seventh happy viewer added: ‘Viggo Venn loved you on the Royal Variety you smashed it’. 

Comedian Simon Brodkin also sparked a furious backlash with his own stand-up routine, after he made a ‘sick and insensitive’ Covid joke.

The comedian has previously been known for attention-grabbing stunts, including throwing money at FIFA President Sepp Blatter during a press conference and handing Theresa May a P45.

Opening his set at the prestigious event, Simon quipped that he ‘broke into a lab in Wuhan in 2019’ in reference to the supposed origins of the deadly coronavirus.

He told the audience: ‘I am the guy that did all the stunts and people always want to kow if my stunts ever go wrong. Occasionally, late 2019 I broke into this laboratory in Wuhan. Sorry.’

While Simon’s joke earned plenty of laughter from the audience, many viewers watching at home took offence, and slammed the jibe.

One posted: ‘HOW dare you make a DISGUSTING joke about the pandemic? I will be making a complete Ofcom about this you should be ashamed of yourself.’

‘The Wuhan joke was very poor taste. Many lost loved ones, or remain poorly – not funny,’ a second added.

A third posted: ‘Sorry, but jokes about Covid are in poor taste, we lost a family member to it. I’m a nurse and worked through it too, terrible times.’

‘Very distasteful and insensitive joke about the Wuhan Labs. Many people lost their lives to Covid!’ one user posted.

However, there were some stars who took to the stage that earned some praise from viewers, with Beverley Knight showcasing her incredible vocals alongside the cast of Sister Act 

Fans lauded Beverley’s performance as part of the cast of the West End show

One shared: ‘Was Simon Brodkin making a joke about Covid?? The joke about him breaking to a laboratory if so that’s not funny that’s sick!!’

However, there were some stars who took to the stage that earned some praise from viewers, with Beverley Knight showcasing her incredible vocals alongside the cast of Sister Act.

One wrote: ‘Sister Act saved a dreadful Royal Variety Performance’ 

Another said: ‘Beverley Knight now we’ve a bit of class. Thank God, Sister.’

A third penned: ‘Sister Act is what I’ve been looking forward to! No way I’ll ever get to see it in the West End so delighted to have a taster!’

A fourth said: ‘Beverley Knight can do ANYTHING’

Another added: ‘#beverleyknight being the ICON as always GOD BLESS my IDOL #theroyalvarietyshow’

‘@Beverleyknight & the cast of #SisterAct had me goosebumping all over the joint on the #RoyalVarietyPerformance. I NEED to see that show in the West End!!’, gushed another.

‘YAY @beverleyknight and @sisteractsocial lighting up the #royalvarietyperformance,’ added a seventh. 

Dressed in an elegant gold gown, Hannah Waddingham also delivered a stunning performance which earned universal praise from viewers

One wrote: ‘Wow Hannah Waddingham can SING!!’ while another added: ‘Well our latest National Treasure… Hannah Waddingham really delivered then. She’s a bit of a star’

Cher also closed out the evening with a performance of her festive new track DJ Play A Christmas Song

The hitmaker was a welcome addition to the Royal Variety lineup, and was praised by many fans

Dressed in an elegant gold gown, Hannah Waddingham also delivered a stunning performance which earned universal praise from viewers.

One wrote: ‘Wow Hannah Waddingham can SING!!’ while another added: ‘Well our latest National Treasure… Hannah Waddingham really delivered then. She’s a bit of a star.’

A third posted: ‘Wow! Best act of the night! Hannah Waddingham. Amazing,’ while one viewer added: ‘My god, Hannah Waddingham is absolutely extraordinary.’

Cher also closed out the evening with a performance of her festive new track DJ Play A Christmas Song, and was a welcome addition to the lineup for many viewers.

One posted: ‘I have to admit Cher’s Christmas song is very catchy. I wouldn’t mind it getting the much-anticipated #ChristmasNumber1,’ while a second added: ‘Yeh we would have rather heard a Cher classic song but wow she looks absolutely fantastic for 77.’

A third praised: ‘That Cher Christmas song is right banger,’ while another added: ‘I have to say, this Cher song is very catchy. I like it.’

‘DJ play a Christmas song is genuinely such a good song, Cher is forever mother,’ one shared.

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