And make the semis...

British-based comedian Asher Treleaven has reached the semi-final of the French version of Britain's Got Talent – in a spoof magic act with his ex-wife.

Performing as Peter and Bambi Heaven, the Australian comic and cabaret artist Gypsy Wood, impressed judges on La France A Un Incroyable Talent with their absurd two-minute routine, which featured Treleaven chopping cucumbers out of Wood's mouth with a sword, while wearing a pair of leather chaps with his bottom exposed.

Their routine, taken from this year's Edinburgh Fringe show, was watched by 1.7million viewers on the M6 channel on Tuesday night.

Treleaven says his double act, was the show's 'car crash... the drunk uncle at the wedding'.

The couple spoke to Chortle from Paris, with Wood adding: 'We thought we'd get kicked off but they asked us back.

'The French love high-kitsch characterisations of things that are just hyperreal and absurd. So they were hooked on us.'

Not everyone at the recording immediately realised that Peter and Bambi Heaven are a parody of flamboyant magicians like David Copperfield and desperate cruise ship performers.

'We were deeply inappropriate so I didn't think we'd get beyond the first round,' Treleaven said. 'We thought we'd just be on the blooper reel of ridiculous acts, so we were really shocked when we got through.

'The worm turned with the judges when we were interviewed after the act, when they realised we were Australian and not just pretending to be Australian. And that we were complete idiots and had no idea what we were doing.

'We told them that we wanted to do the best talent show in the world “and no-one does talent shows like the French”. All the judges lost their mind at that and clicked what was happening with us.'

For the semi-final next Tuesday, the pair plan to perform a tribute routine called The Ancient French Art of Mime' featuring a suitcase and Treleaven's penis visible through his trousers.

Treleaven and Wood were married for seven years and split before debuting their show at this year's Melbourne Comedy Festival. Which 'wasn't ideal and a lot of tension' said Treleaven. 'So it's been kind of an intense first half of the year to put it lightly.

'But we've done very well at it and transitioned very peacefully from a relationship to seeing each other as family now.'

Peter and Bambi Heaven are returning for the 2017 Fringe. And Wood said: 'We're very excited to be in Paris. Asher and I came here seven years ago to become artists in Europe. In that time, we've had a relationship, a marriage and separated.

'But the dream is still the same and we're very excited about our TV debut with these characters that we've developed along the way of our relationship.'

Here's their appearance on La France A Un Incroyable Talent.

At the end they got three 'yeses' and one 'nos' from judges. Gilbert Rozon, founder of the Just for Laughs comedy festival, had buzzed them, but changed his mind.

-by Jay Richardson

Published: 24 Nov 2016