Britain’s Got Talent has already been hit with hundreds of Ofcom complaints after contestant Auzzy Blood’s horror-themed performance took a gruesome turn.

The annual talent show returned to the screen last Saturday (February 22) and Auzzy Blood, a professional sword swallower, had judges Simon Cowell , Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and Bruno Tonioli recoiling in their seats.

After setting the tone with an eerie entrance to dramatic music, the hopeful – real nameAustin Punton – unveiled his painted face in the style of what one might call a gothic clown, baring his teeth to greet the panel with a sinister smile.

The three-time Guinness World Record holder proceeded to shock everyone with body manipulation and several graphic acts.

The bold performance has sparked backlash from viewers and media watchdog Ofcom said it has received a total of 771 complaints

A spokeswoman for Ofcom said: ‘The vast majority of complaints were about Auzzy Blood’s routine. Around 90 of the complainants also complained about nudity in Akira Ohashi’s routine’.

Despite looking totally horrified by the act, Blood was voted through to the next stage of the competition, with Simon, 65, describing the performance as ‘one of my favourite acts of the day’.

‘No one’s ever seen this before. This was one of my favourite acts of the day, genuinely,’ added Simon, kicking off the first of four yeses.