Reprising their hosting duties on Britain’s Got Talent, Ant & Dec revealed Simon Cowell risked his life for the latest series of the hit ITV show, set to air in a matter of days.
Simon Cowell must be dedicated to Britain’s Got Talent – he risks his life in the new series.
The talent show returns to ITV for its 18th year with presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly once more hosting the show. “There’s a lot of danger this year,” says Ant. “There was a moment this year where we were scared for Simon’s life. It was all a bit scary!”
Britain’s Got Talent viewers will have to wait before finding out what happened to Simon Cowell. In the meantime, Ant and Dec have taken pride in the show’s ability to launch careers.
“We’re always very proud of the acts that go on and achieve success,” Dec says. “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 year’s BGT winner Sydnie Christmas earned a Golden Buzzer from judge Amanda Holden for her moving rendition of Tomorrow from the hit musical Annie.
She then went on to secure victory with 27.2% of the votes. Now, the Gravesend-born singer is gearing up for her My Way Tour, after winning a £250k cash prize, singing at the Royal Variety Performance and releasing an album. Her impact has already rippled through the season, inspiring more female vocalists to take their shot at the BGT crown this season.
Ant & Dec revealed that BGT judge Simon Cowell risked his life for the hit ITV show’s 18th season (
Image:
ITV)
Returning to the judging panel with Simon are Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and Bruno Tonioli. But Ant and Dec were delighted to welcome a special guest judge too.
YouTube sensation KSI, 32, has agreed to fill in for Bruno while he was away filming Dancing With The Stars in America and takes part in BGT’s first round of auditions.
“He judged in a way that no judge has ever looked at the acts before,” Dec says. “He brought energy, enthusiasm and a really interesting viewpoint. He looked at whether acts would work online and go viral.”
Auditions for this season were filmed at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, where spectators made their presence known. “They’ve been very vocal,” Ant says, “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.”
For years, BGT has followed a tried-and-tested formula for its live semi-finals, airing them back-to-back across a single action-packed week. This year, the show is shaking things up by opting for a weekly format.
Britain’s Got Talent has long been a global phenomenon, with millions of streams on ITVX and international fans recognising Ant and Dec in the most unexpected places.
“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,” Dec says. “We don’t like to know about the surprises, we want to be surprised too.”
Ant recalls a particularly surreal fan encounter while travelling in Dubai. “I got stopped in a shopping mall by a fan who called me Susan Boyle Boy, because he recognised me from a clip,” he says.
“I’ve been stopped in Australia, Abu Dhabi, the Caribbean, America. Everywhere we go we get recognised because of Britain’s Got Talent.”
YouTube sensation and boxing star KSI will fill in for Bruno Tonioli as the judge focuses on his Dancing With The Stars commitments (
Image:
ITV)
Fatherhood hasn’t dulled his mischievous side. After welcoming his son Wilder last May with wife Anne-Marie Corbett, Ant was eager to be reunited with Dec for some playful antics – which this year saw them pimp Simon’s car with a sticker of him on the toilet.
“We did have a bit of a laugh at the judges’ expense,” Dec says. This year, they pranked the judges by giving them a Golden Buzzer mobile to attend each audition – complete with a 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,” Dec remembers. “Everybody in Blackpool was pointing and laughing. Simon just thought they were really impressed with his new car!”
Every year, BGT has its share of front-runners and surprises but even the hosts admit they’re struggling to predict a winner. This season is anyone’s game.
“We had this conversation in Blackpool,” Dec says. “It’s so hard to call this year.” Particularly as viewers also get a say. “We can feel it in the auditions, but it’s not until it goes out on TV that you really get a sense of who could win,” Ant admits.
With over 20 million streams last year – a 24% increase from the previous season – BGT continues to prove why it’s the crown jewel of ITV ’s entertainment line-up.
“Anything that you could think of has auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent,” he says. “Even things we haven’t thought of! It’s a real treat every Saturday night.” This year, one of the most bizarre acts yet might just be a pole-dancing seagull – yes, really. But who will steal the nation’s heart? Time to dust off that Golden Buzzer!
