When Krista Hyatt and Charlie Dixon walked onto the Britain’s Got Talent stage in 2008, they were among the youngest performers in the competition.
Together, they called themselves Cheeky Monkeys.
They were tiny.
They were energetic.
And once the music began, they immediately showed why the name suited them so well.
The pair launched into a playful partner-dance routine to “Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out)”, mixing synchronized steps with individual tricks and plenty of personality.
They Had Only Been Dancing Together for a Short Time
Krista and Charlie were still primary-school children from Lancashire when they appeared on BGT.
Contemporary coverage reported that the pair had only started dancing together about a year earlier.
That made the confidence they showed on such a large television stage even more impressive.
They smiled through the routine, moved together naturally and clearly enjoyed performing with each other.
But the judges did not completely agree about how polished the act was.
Simon Saw Potential — But Not a Perfect Routine
Piers Morgan felt the young dancers were not quite ready and voted no.
Amanda Holden wanted to see more and gave them a yes.
That left the decision with Simon Cowell.
Simon believed the choreography needed improvement, but he also saw enough potential in Krista and Charlie to give them another opportunity.
He said yes.
Cheeky Monkeys were through.
For two children facing three of Britain’s most famous television judges, that second chance meant everything.
They Came Back Stronger
When Cheeky Monkeys reached the live semifinal, they returned with a new routine to MIKA’s “Lollipop.”
This time, the judges noticed a big improvement.
Piers, who had rejected them during the audition, admitted he had underestimated them.
Amanda praised the friendship between the two young dancers, while Simon highlighted the natural connection they had when performing together.
That chemistry became their biggest strength.
They weren’t simply two children performing the same choreography.
They looked like genuine best friends having fun together onstage.
Then Came the Judges’ Decision
Singer Andrew Johnston had already advanced from their semifinal through the public vote.
That left Cheeky Monkeys competing with dance group Flava for the remaining place in the Final.
Piers chose Flava.
But Amanda chose Cheeky Monkeys.
Then Simon did the same.
By a 2–1 judges’ vote, Krista and Charlie were sent through to the Britain’s Got Talent Grand Final.
Only weeks earlier, Simon had been telling them their choreography needed work.
Now he was helping send them to the biggest stage of the series.
From Audition Doubts to the BGT Final
In the Grand Final, Cheeky Monkeys performed to “We Go Together” from Grease.
They were competing in a very strong lineup that included George Sampson, Signature, Faryl Smith, Andrew Johnston and Escala.
George Sampson ultimately won the series, with Signature second and Andrew Johnston third. Cheeky Monkeys finished outside the top three, but simply reaching the Final was an impressive achievement for such a young duo.
Their story had gone from a questionable first audition to becoming one of the final acts of BGT Series 2.
Their Adventure Continued After BGT
The pair’s television exposure did not end with the competition.
Krista and Charlie later appeared in the film Nativity!, and reports also noted that they travelled to New York to appear on World’s Most Talented Kids.
Eventually, the duo stopped performing together, but their original BGT appearances remained popular online years later.
Their audition video alone accumulated millions of views.
Sometimes Personality Matters as Much as Perfection
Cheeky Monkeys were not the most technically advanced dancers in the competition.
Even Simon said the choreography could be better.
But they had something audiences immediately understood.
Chemistry.
Energy.
And the sense that they were having the time of their lives.
Two very young friends walked onto one of Britain’s biggest stages, survived a divided judging panel and eventually danced all the way to the Grand Final.
🎥 Watch Cheeky Monkeys’ full audition below and see the tiny dance duo that made Simon Cowell give them one more chance.
