Taiwanese Fire Performer Yang Li-wei Receives Ovation at Britain's Got Talent Final

Yang Li-wei and Lai Kuan-chih, members of the 'Coming True Fire Group,' performed on the stage of the Britain's Got Talent (BGT) final early today (Taiwan time). Yang shouted 'I am from Taiwan' on stage, receiving cheers from the audience. Although they did not place, they received unanimous praise from the judges. Yang and her husband Lai are known as the 'Fire Couple' by their team. Having married five years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic, they viewed this BGT final appearance as their wedding in the UK, ending their performance with a passionate embrace. Yang shared in English that she had practiced foot juggling for 23 years, a difficult journey. On the fire table used in the performance, she painted flowers from the British flag, saying, 'This is a gift for everyone.' She also hoped everyone would remember her name: 'My name is Li-wei, and I am from Taiwan.' At the start of the performance, Yang walked barefoot on stage, lit flames on her ankles, and performed continuous handstands and flips, creating a dazzling display with sparks. Judge Simon Cowell said that at the beginning, he thought Yang was actually on fire. Yang and Lai were the first act of the final, and after the performance, all four judges gave them a standing ovation. Cowell called it a 'dangerous, beautiful, and incredibly choreographed performance.' Judge KSI added that it was a 'BGT champion-level performance.' Before the show, Yang shared on social media that the winner was decided by UK audience votes, requiring a UK phone number. This post went viral in Taiwan, with President Lai Ching-te and former President Tsai Ing-wen calling for support. Although they did not win, the team posted on Facebook, 'Sorry, we didn't win BGT,' praising Yang's flawless performance and thanking Taiwanese people worldwide for their support. Yang wrote on Threads, 'I held my wedding in the UK tonight,' thanking the audience for their support.