IT’S all change as Britain’s Got Talent returns to our screens for an 18th series – no, don’t worry, Simon Cowell hasn’t axed national treasures Ant and Dec as hosts (he wouldn’t dare!).
But there is a new guest judge in the shape of social-media, boxing and music star KSI, more golden buzzers than ever before, and for the first time ever, the live semi-finals will be airing weekly on Saturday nights later in the year rather than consecutive evenings across a week.
Britain’s Got Talent is back tonight[/caption]
Amanda Holden received over 600 Ofcom complaints about this dress in 2017[/caption]
But the star has promised more racy outfits for this series[/caption]
But perhaps the biggest difference this time around is that all of the auditions were filmed in the British home of showbiz – Blackpool.
Ahead of the launch of this new series, TV Mag exclusively spoke to the stalwarts of the long-term judging panel, Simon, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli…
AMANDA HOLDEN
If there’s one thing we know we can expect along with a host of weird and wonderful act, it’s a jaw-dropping outfit or two from Amanda that likely prompts some viewers to contact Ofcom to complain…
“I haven’t even thought about my semi-finals outfits yet, but I constantly scroll through Instagram when I’m on car journeys and bombard my stylist with loads of ideas – it’s thigh splits and cleavage!” cackles Amanda, who sparked a record 663 complaints with one low-cut number back in 2017 .
“I have a whole ‘t*t committee’ [in the production team] that watches everything [ to prevent ‘accidents’]. Hopefully they’ll keep an eye on Bruno’s t*ts as well, because I think he shows far more than I do at the moment!”
Amanda’s bound to be feeling confident about spotting potential during the show’s new run, given that she was the judge who pressed her golden buzzer for Sydnie Christmas, the singer who went on to win the 2024 series.
“That was just incredible for me, and I’ve become friends with her,” reveals Amanda, 53. “I met up with her while I was on holiday with Alan Carr in Greece and we saw each other in Los Angeles for dinner.
“So I feel like, more than any other act – apart from Stavros Flatley – I’m quite invested in her, socially and everything else. Because she’s just such a wonderful person, as are her gorgeous family. So it feels like a win on more levels than just her winning a golden buzzer. I’ve made a new friend, she’s great.”
Having been on the judging panel alongside Simon Cowell since the start, Amanda’s well placed to look at how the Saturday-night entertainment show has changed the lives of contestants and the panel judging them.
“Susan Boyle changed the face of television,” she says of the Scottish singer whose audition in 2009 became an internet sensation.
“It took us into the homes of people who maybe had never seen the show. Wherever I go now, I get recognised. It used to just be Europe, now it’s Dubai and America, the Philippines. It’s everywhere, because of YouTube and social media. That’s what Susan Boyle did for the show – she put us on a global stage.”
SIMON COWELL
There’s one reason we’re about to witness the most golden buzzers we’ve ever seen on one series of BGT, reckons Simon – the ‘persuasiveness’ of a pumped-up audience under those bright lights in Blackpool.
“They were completely wild!” laughs Simon, 65. “What I loved about them was they were just completely enjoying the process. People might not know, but it does take a while sometimes between acts because the stage needs to be set or the golden buzzer [ticker tape] needs to be cleaned up. But they really had a good time and they really took what they did seriously.
“When we say the audience are the fifth judge, those crowds proved it – that’s why we have so many golden buzzers this series. It’s all down to them and how loud they were. Honestly, it got to the stage where I thought on a couple of acts that if we didn’t press the golden buzzer, then the audience wouldn’t let us out the building!”
Simon also says the crowd were great for a bit of banter, even if it was at times at his expense.
KSI is a different kind of entertainer, how he’s built his career – I have a lot of respect for what he’s done
Simon Cowell
“At one point this lady called me an ‘old fart’,” he laughs. “I thought it was one of the funniest things, because a lot of people would’ve ignored it, but I repeated it because it made me laugh so much. And then afterwards she was asking for a picture with me!”
With Bruno away for some of the auditions, Simon drafted in new face KSI to cover. And, he says, it was a bit of a baptism of fire for the man famed for creating the viral drink Prime.
“KSI is a different kind of entertainer, how he’s built his career – I have a lot of respect for what he’s done,” says Simon. “We were talking on the first day and he asked what advice I have for him. I said that none of us are experts on everything because you don’t know what’s going to come on.
“So all you can do is just say how the act makes you feel. Within about 20 minutes he said: ‘Wow, I had no idea it was this intense!’ But he completely embraced it. He genuinely seemed to love it and the audience embraced him.”
ALESHA DIXON
Holding all the auditions for this year’s BGT in Blackpool brought a new energy to the show, says Alesha.
“There’s something about audiences in Blackpool,” she explains. “I think they really understand the bones of our show. We had such a blast, it was almost like the circus had come to town.”
But while the atmosphere put everyone in a lively mood, that doesn’t mean it was party time when the day’s work was done.
“We didn’t get much time to socialise because we would start early in the morning and finish late at night,” admits Alesha, who is mum to daughters Azura, 11, and five-year-old Anaya.
FAMILY TIME
“Some people would go down to the bar, but I actually spent a bit of time playing Ludo with my lovely sister, who works with me, and my hair-and-make-up team. We sat and played Ludo, had a glass of wine, listened to some music. My little brother came to see me on one of the days and he was trying to convince me to go out in Blackpool, but it was freezing. I said: ‘There’s no way you’ll get me out of the hotel!’”
That family involvement is one of the reasons Alesha, 46, is as excited as ever about the show and has no plans to walk away, despite it being her 13th series.
“It’s amazing how time flies. I mean, what a rollercoaster it’s been,” she grins. “I feel like one of the luckiest people on television, because I think I’m on the best show on TV. If you’re loving it and you’re having a great time, why would you not want to be there? On the last day of auditions we always feel a bit sad, because we genuinely treasure it. And, you know, we’ve become like a family over the years.
“Whenever Azura comes and watches, she feels like she’s having a play date because she has a great time with [Amanda’s daughter] Hollie and [Simon’s son] Eric. They all get on so well, and they’ve all known each other for so many years, so it’s a fun day out for them. It’s a family affair, and that’s what makes it so special for everyone.”
While Alesha won’t spoil who she pushed her golden buzzer for, there’s no doubt who Azura would have gone for if she had one to press…
“Azura is obsessed with Wicked at the moment and she’d say: ‘Mummy, I really hope you get somebody that comes on and performs one of the songs from Wicked.’ Amanda and I kept speaking about it every day. On the day, we had this group come on stage and they did a tribute to Wicked. It was such a beautiful moment.”
Amanda doesn’t want to kill the magic, which I respect.”
Alesha
This is the 13th year that Alesha has sat alongside Amanda on the panel, and while her fellow judge admits that she loves to flash the flesh and get people talking about her outfits (see below), there’s no rivalry in the style stakes between them, as Alesha’s more than happy keeping it casual.
“Amanda always looks incredible and is a great sport. I think people realise that she’s just an incredibly beautiful woman who can wear what she wants if it makes her feel good,” smiles Alesha.
“We’re so different in our style naturally and we complement one another. I’m very fortunate to wear a pair of trainers at these auditions – go for the comfort, right? Amanda doesn’t want to kill the magic, which I respect.”
Alesha reveals that it didn’t take the whole gang long to get into the spirit of Blackpool, with Simon even driving the judges to the theatre in a gold metallic wrapped car with a funny cartoon print on the driver’s door that made it look like Simon was sitting on the toilet!
A NEW SIMON
“We had such a laugh in there,” grins Alesha. “Amanda had a microphone in the front and was shouting things out at people, and it wasn’t until we actually pulled up at the theatre that we got out and saw the toilet, which was very funny.
“Honestly, I was saying to Amanda that Simon over the years has become such a good sport. He’s just so up for things now – he does things on stage that I never thought I would see, things he certainly wouldn’t have been doing 10 years ago.
“I just love watching him have fun with it. That car was silly, and we love silliness on our show. The sillier, the better. With so much going on in the world, it’s just lovely to be able to go and work on a television show that makes people feel good, makes people smile and makes people laugh.
Britain’s Got Talent is one of the few gems that’s on television where everybody’s included, everybody feels a part of it. That’s rare and that needs to be treasured.”
BRUNO TONIOLI
Bruno Tonioli finally understands what BGT is all about now, since it’s his third year as a judge, but he loves the fact that the acts still take him by surprise.
“It goes from the amazing to the grotesque and everything in between,” laughs the former Strictly Come Dancing judge. “We are just like: ‘What is this?’ You’re in tears and then there’s a moment when you’re crying with laughter. That’s the beauty of the show. It’s a celebration of variety. There are some acts that, if it wasn’t for Britain’s Got Talent, they wouldn’t be seen – but they deserve to be seen. Singers, dancers, acrobats, aerialists, comedians… You name it, we have it.”
Simon, Alesha and Amanda all agree that livewire Bruno brings a special energy to the room, so it’s hard to believe that he’s a pensioner and will be turning 70 in late November.
“In my mind it’s just a number,” he insists. “I don’t define myself and I don’t think anyone should define themselves by a number. You should define yourself by your passion, what you want to do, by your interests.”
We are the cheeky boys
Since Bruno joined BGT in 2023, Simon has felt all together more good-natured and up for a laugh. Do we have Bruno to thank for that?
“The funny thing is, which is the truth, I never actually watched the show before I joined,” chuckles Bruno.
“But Simon has always been like that. He is very cheeky, naturally, and very funny in a very twisted way. I still fall for it, you know: ‘Oh, god, he’s winding me up…’ I keep forgetting!”
Even so, Alesha and Amanda have been urging him to organise some major celebrations to mark his landmark birthday.
“The girls have made a few suggestions, they’re much better than me at this kind of thing – I’m not a planner. Amanda is very efficient, she’s on it!” laughs Bruno, who suggests that he might want to keep his celebration “small and private”. “I always like surprises. I’m still like when I was 18 – I can’t wait to see what happens next. I always like to have this sense of adventure. I never plan anything unless I have a job to do.”
Of course, Bruno’s had a lot on his mind lately, with wild fires causing devastation in Los Angeles – which is where he lives when filming Dancing With The Stars, the US version of Strictly.
“I called all my friends in LA as soon as I finished the auditions in Blackpool. Fortunately, they are okay,” he says. “A few had to go to Palm Springs because they couldn’t move back in because of all the smoke. And my house is okay.
I don’t have that power, unfortunately. I can’t hire myself, my darling!”
Bruno Tonioli
“But it’s devastating, it just makes you cry. It is apocalyptic. I know they will rebuild. I have faith that they are very energetic, positive people, and I know that they will come back stronger than ever.”
As for the future, Bruno says he’d love to stay with BGT. However, after five decades in show business, he’s a realist and knows that decision lies with ITV and Simon Cowell.
“As long as they want me, I’m having a fantastic time,” he grins. “But it’s not for me to say, it’s up to them, isn’t it? I don’t have that power, unfortunately. I can’t hire myself, my darling!”
KSI joins the panel as a guest judge this series[/caption]
Britain’s Got Talent starts on Saturday, February 22 at 7pm on ITV.
TV Mag is available for free every Saturday, only in The Sun.
