A magician from Bangor, County Down, has advanced to the next stage of America's Got Talent after a performance that involved appearing to destroy items belonging to the judges.

Joel Mawhinney, who performs as Joel M, took a bracelet from Mel B, a framed picture of a dog from Sofia Vergara, and a mobile phone from Howie Mandel from their dressing rooms. He then appeared to smash the objects with a hammer. The judges reacted with shock before Mawhinney revealed that each item had survived intact.

Mandel's phone was found inside a locked box that had been on stage throughout the act, and it began receiving messages from Mawhinney disclosing the locations of the other valuables. Vergara's photograph was concealed in her seat cushion, while Mel B's bracelet was hidden inside one of the show's signature red buzzers.

Mel B voted to advance Mawhinney, calling the trick something she loved. Vergara described the magic as impressive and exciting, also voting yes. Mandel declined to advance the magician, saying the pace was too slow. Simon Cowell agreed the performance was too long for a live show but said audiences love magic and that Mawhinney deserved a yes. With three affirmative votes, the magician moved forward in the competition.

Mawhinney said he did not know what he would find in the dressing rooms and that he normally avoids using borrowed items in tricks due to past problems. He described the audition as the scariest experience of his life but felt it was necessary to take a risk.

Previously, Mawhinney was a presenter on the BBC children's series Blue Peter, joining in 2018 and becoming the show's 41st presenter. He left in July this year to pursue magic full time. He credited his live television training on Blue Peter for helping him manage the complex audition.

Mawhinney, who is from Bangor, had been invited to audition for America's Got Talent since 2020 but had declined until now. Following his departure from Blue Peter, he said he wanted to re-establish himself as a magician and decided the high-stakes performance was the right way to begin.