Britain’s Got Talent set for return next week – but Cowell still sidelined
Britain’s Got Talent will return to screens next Saturday, ITV has confirmed.
The talent series was one of many forced to halt production due to the pandemic but will return for the semi-finals and final.
Diversity star Ashley Banjo will take Simon Cowell’s place on the judging panel for the semi-finals while the music mogul re covers from back surgery.
Cowell broke his back after falling off an electric bike he was testing at his house in Malibu, California.
The 60 -year-old was taken to hospital for treatment, which involved a number of procedures, including having a metal rod put in his back.
Cowell missed snapping his spinal cord “by a centimetre” and had six hours of surgery. Banjo will join regular judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams on the panel.
This year’s BGT semi-finals were due to take place in May, but will now be spread across five pre-recorded episodes.
The final will go out in October, with the winner taking £250,000 plus a slot at the Royal Variety Performance.
Some acts will take part by video link while others will perform in the TV studio without a live audience.
Instead, a virtual audience will watch from their homes and their reactions will be broadcast into the studio on a giant screen.