The TV talent contest is back, with a supersized series, early launch date, and new guest judge.
The Saturday night entertainment favourite is set to introduce its 2025 series early following a schedule shake-up at ITV and has also announced a big-name guest to join the judging panel as KSI stands in for Bruno Tonioli during some of the auditions.
Here’s everything we know so far about the changes at Britain’s Got Talent for 2025, including a brand new approach to the live semi-finals and grand final.
When is Britain’s Got Talent back on TV?
The BGT judges have had a busy winter getting ready for the new series. (Getty Images)
The great news for BGT fans is that there’s less time to wait for the start of the 2025 series than you might have expected.
Last year, it was reported that the schedule for the ITV talent show had changed and was due to start in February this time, running through to a final in May. The series usually launches in mid-April and runs until early June, but it’s now been confirmed that we’ll see the first episode of the 2025 series much earlier on Saturday, 22 February.
BGT’s judges looked as excited as anyone at the show’s return in a social media post confirming the series start date.
What’s the BGT supersize series about and why have the dates moved?
Long-time viewers of Britain’s Got Talent will know that the show usually begins with weeks of pre-recorded auditions and heats that take place around the UK and air on Saturday nights.
It then moves to a nightly schedule for the last week, with Monday to Friday as live semi-finals, a day off on Saturday, and then a last live show for the grand final on the Sunday.
Ant and Dec are taking a break from Saturday Night Takeaway. (Getty Images)
However, this year rather than condensing the semis and final into a week, the live shows will be strung out across the usual Saturday night weekly schedule. This means that the whole supersized series will run for around three months.
It’s thought that the earlier start date and longer run could fill a gap left in the ITV1 schedule by BGT hosts Ant and Dec, whose long-running series Saturday Night Takeaway which would usually air from February to April has gone on indefinite hiatus. The duo were keen to take a break from so much live TV work while they concentrate on their young families.
Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon seemed to back a schedule change last year. (ITV screengrab)
Addressing reports of a supersize 2025 series with Good Morning Britain at the end of last year’s series, judge Amanda Holden said: “I think it would be amazing if it was true and if we did it every single Saturday rather than strip it in a week like we have done for 17 years. Because it is a Saturday night show.”
Fellow judge Alesha Dixon also backed the idea, saying: “Yeah and it is such an event when it comes around. And it is so warm and it brings so much joy – why not have it last a little bit longer? We need that in the world right now… Escapism.”
Auditions began early for the new series, launching at The Oval in London on 14 and 15 September. The flagship home of BGT this year was Blackpool, which hosted the majority of the auditions.
What can we expect from Britain’s Got Talent 2025?
Apparently, Simon Cowell’s life was in danger during auditions… (ITV)
We’ve reached series 18 of the talent contest and alongside the new schedule and guest judge, there’s plenty to look forward to in this year’s show.
Judge Alesha Dixon teased: “We’ve got everything from a pole-dancing seagull to a rock band of dinosaurs! It’s that moment where you just think what other show would you see a pole-dancing seagull? You wouldn’t be able to do this on any other show and that is the genius of it.
“You know, one minute you’re crying your eyes out over an emotional singer or being wowed by a magician and then you’ve just got random things coming on stage and people doing crazy things. I just think people’s imaginations never cease to surprise me. People are always trying to take it to the next level and we are here for it. We love it.”
Host Ant McPartlin warned of a risky moment for BGT boss Simon Cowell: “There’s a lot of danger this year. There was a moment this year where we were scared for Simon Cowell’s life. Genuinely, it was all a bit scary!”
Alesha Dixon praised the show’s never-ending variety. (ITV)
As for who could win this time, Amanda Holden admitted she would love to see a return to the days of acts like Diversity and Spelbound being crowned champions rather than the more recent single-person acts.
“I’ve said for years now it would be lovely for more than one person to win because then the money and the whole experience gets shared out and the joy is spread across more people,” she said. “So it would be amazing for a big group of people to experience the full joy of what winning all that money and performing in front of the Royal Variety show means.”
Bruno Tonioli added of his winner predictions: “Honestly, it’s wide open. Every category has one or two acts in it that have the capability to win. It really is the strongest line-up I’ve seen since I’ve been on the show. There is so much potential, it’s just down to who can capture the public’s imagination on the night. The person who wins will be the one who really connects with everyone watching at home.”
Who are the Britain’s Got Talent hosts?
Ant and Dec will host as usual. (Getty Images)
Despite Ant and Dec wanting to take time away from Saturday Night Takeaway, their fans will be pleased to know they aren’t quitting BGT any time soon.
The Geordie duo are back for the new series and appeared in a teaser ad for the series start date announcement, dressed as Royal Grenadier Guards.
Ant and Dec have been with the show since it began in 2007. In 2018 when McPartlin took time away from TV, he only appeared in some of the pre-recorded auditions and Dec Donnelly hosted the live shows alone. However, he returned the following series.
Cowell said of his show hosts: “Oh gosh, they are everything. I mean, they represent everything that’s great about the show. They appreciate and love the contestants, respect the contestants, and understand the contestants.
“They’ve not been changed by success or money. And they’re loyal, which counts for a lot these days. Most of all they absolutely love the job, I watch them in the wings and they are always having fun and they take the audience along with them. But they do take the mickey out of me all day!”
Ant and Dec are the heart of Britain’s Got Talent. (ITV)
They might be huge stars in the UK but the presenters told how BGT had also brought them worldwide fame.
Ant said: “I got stopped in a shopping mall in Dubai by a fan who called me Susan Boyle Boy, because he recognised me from the clip where I turned around to the camera and said, ‘You didn’t expect that, did you’ when Susan Boyle auditioned. I’ve been stopped in Australia, Abu Dhabi, the Caribbean, America. Everywhere we go we get recognised because of Britain’s Got Talent.”
Who are Britain’s Got Talent 2025’s judges?
KSI is a guest judge this series, but Bruno Tonioli will return for most of the episodes. (ITV)
For the third year running, we’ll see the same judging line-up behind the desk for most of the series.
Show boss Simon Cowell is back to give his unflinching judgment on contestants, alongside Amanda Holden who has also been with BGT since it began.
They’ll be joined by Alesha Dixon who is entering her 13th season as a judge on the show, as well as former Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli who is back for a third year.
Cowell praised his long-serving colleague Holden, revealing how she had been a last-minute casting in series one as a stand-in for another big star.
He said: “She is our Britain’s Got Talent queen and she deserves that crown. And you know what? She was an interesting booking because we’d offered the role to Cheryl Cole, as she was known in those days. A week before filming, she calls me and goes, ‘I just can’t do it’ and wouldn’t give me a reason. I think she was freaked out.
Simon Cowell revealed Amanda Holden was a last-minute casting. (ITV)
“We literally had two judges and a week to book someone. I just knew it had to be Amanda because I’d met her and I really liked her, she was very funny and I just thought she’d fit the show perfectly.
“Fast forward 18 years and she’s still a huge success and we have become great friends. I do consider her one of my best friends. And Alesha and Bruno, are genuinely friends in real life too.”
KSI makes his BGT judging debut
KSI makes his judging debut in the new series. (ITV)
Tonioli had to miss some of the auditions in Blackpool as he had commitments with Dancing With The Stars in the US where he still serves on the panel.
Replacing him for those episodes is influencer, boxer and musician KSI, who makes his debut as a judge.
KSI said of fitting into the long-running show: “Once I figured out what makes sense and my place, I kind of just ran with it and I got more and more comfortable and came into my own.”
He was popular with the crowd at the auditions and said: “It kind of reminded me when I perform or even when I’m boxing, I’d hear people screaming, shouting my name. It was craziness like that, but it was cool. Even while I’m sitting there to hear people shout my name and have people asking for a photo and just enjoying the whole experience.”
Bruno Tonioli is back for a third series, but will miss a few episodes. (ITV)
Appearing to big for a return booking, he added: “I really enjoyed the experience, and I don’t know if
they want me back. I don’t know if I made a good impression. But if I did, and they do want me back, you know, I’m fully down!”
Dec said of KSI’s star turn: “It’s always interesting when somebody new joins the panel for the first time because you see it through their eyes again and that kind of freshness. So he brought that to it. He brought energy, enthusiasm and a really interesting viewpoint. He looked at whether acts would work online and go viral, so that was really interesting. He judged in a way that no judge has ever looked at the acts before.”
Holden added: “The kids went nuts for him. And I think he’s going to bring in a whole generation of people that have perhaps not thought about watching our show before just because they want to see what he brings. And he was also super quick to get on the stage, we couldn’t keep him off it! I just know he’s going to steal the limelight because he’s so good!”
Britain’s Got Talent returns to ITV1 at 7pm on Saturday, 22 February.
