Britain’s Got Talent returns to ITV on Saturday, with Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and David Walliams back on the judging panel
Simon Cowell really puts himself on the line for Britain’s Got Talent — he’s flirting with danger in the upcoming series!
Ant and Dec are back at the helm as the show makes its grand return to ITV for its 18th run. Ant teases, “There’s a lot of danger this year,” adding a chilling note: “There was a moment this year where we were scared for Simon’s life. It was all a bit scary! “.
All eyes will be on what could have put Simon Cowell in such peril, but until then, Ant and Dec take pride in Britain’s Got Talent’s ability to launch successful careers. “We’re always very proud of the acts that go on and achieve success,” shared Dec, giving props to the British audience for supporting the stars.
“It’s a testament to the show and to the British public who took time to vote for the acts, recognised their talent and propelled them to stardom.”
Last season witnessed Sydnie Christmas soar to fame after Amanda Holden’s Golden Buzzer sent her straight through for her touching performance of Tomorrow from Annie. Garnering a whopping 27.2% of the final votes, she’s now ready to hit the road with her My Way Tour.
Not only did she bag a cool £250k prize and perform at the Royal Variety Performance, but also released an album—all setting the stage for more female vocalists to aim for BGT glory this year.
The judges panel sees Simon reunited with Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, and Bruno Tonioli, while Ant and Dec can’t hide their excitement about welcoming a surprise guest judge into the mix.
YouTube star KSI, aged 32, is stepping into Bruno’s shoes on Britain’s Got Talent while the latter is away in the US for Dancing With The Stars. Dec shared his thoughts on KSI’s unique approach: “He judged in a way that no judge has ever looked at the acts before,” adding, “He brought energy, enthusiasm and a really interesting viewpoint. He looked at whether acts would work online and go viral.”
The auditions this season took place at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, where the audience made their opinions heard loud and clear. “They’ve been very vocal,” Ant says, noting: “They really get behind the acts and they’re not afraid to have a go at the judges if they don’t agree with what they say. They’ve been like a fifth judge.”
Shaking up its format, BGT is moving from its traditional week of live semi-finals to a weekly airing. Despite being a worldwide hit, Ant and Dec still encounter fans who are surprised by their genuine reactions.
Dec explains, “They always ask, ‘do you definitely not know what’s coming next and whether an act is good or not? ’. But we genuinely don’t,” emphasizing their love for surprises. Ant recalls an amusing fan moment abroad: “I got stopped in a shopping mall by a fan who called me Susan Boyle Boy, because he recognised me from a clip,” he recounts.
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, the dynamic duo of British television, have been turning heads across the globe, thanks to the international fame of Britain’s Got Talent. “I’ve been stopped in Australia, Abu Dhabi, the Caribbean, America. Everywhere we go we get recognised because of Britain’s Got Talent.” Ant shared.
Fatherhood hasn’t tamed Ant’s playful spirit one bit. Since welcoming his son Wilder last May with his wife Anne-Marie Corbett, he was itching to get back to his partner-in-crime Dec for some classic shenanigans.
This year, they had a right giggle at the judges’ expense by decking out Simon Cowell’s car with a rather embarrassing sticker. “We did have a bit of a laugh at the judges’ expense,” chuckled Dec..
The pair couldn’t resist pranking the judges this season with a Golden Buzzer mobile for each audition, featuring a cheeky nod to Simon Cowell.
“They were driving through Blackpool with a bit of a cheeky picture of Simon on the side, which he didn’t realise,” recalls Dec. “Everybody in Blackpool was pointing and laughing. Simon just thought they were really impressed with his new car!”