Britain’s Got Talent has been boycotted due to a hoax by judges Simon Cowell and Bruno Tonioli.

According to Metro, the current edition of Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) in Manchester (UK) stunned the crowd when Simon Cowell was shot with a crossbow by Bruno Tonioli, leading him to drop to the floor.

They quickly sent the medical crew to the stage to assist Cowell, who was in pain. At the time, what happened appeared to be a genuine accident, given BGT’s reputation for daring acts.

The audience was upset when they realized it was all a prank to draw attention to the play.

Laura Sugden, who claimed to be the victim of a real crossbow attack, told The Sun, “The mockery was disgraceful.”

She said, “I can’t believe that was permitted on such a huge show. Crossbows are not illegal, but they are lethal weapons.”

Other comments advocated for a boycott of the show after it fooled viewers with a life-threatening joke. They said that since the event, respect for Cowell, Tonioli, and the show, BGT, has declined.

Under public outcry, a member of the show’s organizing committee stated, “It was merely a light-hearted comedy among the judges. We did not want to create any offense.”

The next season of BGT premieres in April. Bruno Tonioli, a choreographer, has replaced comedian David Walliams as a judge.

Tonioli had broken the BGT regulations after only a few weeks on the program, according to Judge Amanda Holden. “If Bruno Tonioli continues to do this, I’m afraid that Simon will have to write a book about the rules of the show this year,” Holden told the newspaper.