The Never-Ending Ode to the Number 19 Bus: 84-Year-Old David Forest Steals the BGT Stage
Every now and then, a performer walks onto the Britain’s Got Talent stage and reminds everyone that age is just a number and a good story is timeless. This year, that performer was David Forest. At 84 years old, David brought a delightful blend of wit, musicality, and quintessentially British charm to the stage, accompanied by his trusty keyboard. Having played since the age of nine, David proved that nearly eight decades of practice can lead to a performance that is as charming as it is eccentric.
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David’s performance was an original comedic song dedicated to his love for the driver of a Number 19 bus in London. With lyrics that detailed the route from Battersea to Finsbury Park, the song was filled with clever observational humor—including a memorable lament about a “bloody plastic screen” standing between him and a romantic moment with the driver. Just when the judges thought the song had reached its natural conclusion, David would launch into another verse or a key change, prompting Simon Cowell to joke about the “never-ending” nature of the ode.
The audience and judges were completely won over by David’s “engaging” and “brilliant” storytelling. Despite the length of the song, the room remained captivated by his energy and the surprising twists in his narrative. By the time he reached the final toot of the bus driver’s horn, the entire auditorium was on its feet. David Forest didn’t just perform a song; he provided a masterclass in how to capture an audience’s heart with nothing more than a keyboard and a truly unique perspective on a city commute.
