BGT is where we showcase our nation at its best
As Britain’s Got Talent returns, Amanda Holden tells MARION McMULLEN why she can’t wait for Simon Cowell’s Mr Nasty side to make a comeback
THE nation’s favourite variety talent show is back for its 14th series with judges Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell, David Walliams and Alesha Dixon looking for more amazing acts.
Ant and Dec return as hosts as contestants battle it out for the chance to scoop the massive £250,000 prize and perform at the prestigious Royal Variety Performance in London.
The live finals have been postponed until later this year because of the coronavirus lockdown, but the pre-filmed audition rounds are now being broadcast. Here Amanda tells us what to expect.
Why do you think it’s important to have a show like Britain’s Got Talent on TV at the moment?
IT’S a family show, it’s warm, fun, and we celebrate Britain like no other show on TV right now. BGT is where we showcase our nation at its best. I don’t think you can top it!
Is everyone obsessed about Simon Cowell’s slimline self?
YEAH, it’s crazy because when you see someone all the time you don’t really notice their weight. With Simon it was such a gradual thing, but I noticed immediately that he had lost weight.
We finished auditions last year and then got back together two weeks later for deliberations and I said straightaway, “Right, what have you been doing, because you look amazing!” He said what he’d started doing, the foods he’d been cutting out and how it had made such a difference in just two weeks. So, I just feel happy for him.
And I’m hoping that means he gets back to being more evil, because I think he’s gone a bit soft. Now he’s back to his slimmer self, I think he’s going to go back to being Mr Nasty. I love evil Simon best of all!
Have you noticed his determination to stick to his diet?
I KNOW, I used to love having our dinners together. It was part of our chat on the panel. We’d sort of be clock watching, and when we knew the last couple of people were coming on we’d be like, “Oh, what you having for your tea?” And he’d go, “It’s not tea, darling. It’s dinner!” Then we’d have fish and chips or beans on toast, things like that. But this new healthy eating is working for him because he’s got a spring in his step, he’s got his mojo back!
Have you seen everything possible during your 14 years on the show?
THAT’S what I always think and then someone surprises me. There’s been a few random acts this year, like we had this incredible unicyclist and then a scientist who set fire to a load of balls as part of a live experiment.
It’s so random! You just never know what’s going to walk out on stage and that’s what everyone loves, the element of surprise.
How would you describe the auditions this season?
I THINK we all agreed that it felt more like they were bedroom performers, and by that we mean people rehearsing in the privacy of their own home. It felt more old school BGT.
So, we felt like we were the audience that these people were facing for the very first time. That always feels much better to us.
We welcome all talent, obviously, but we prefer unpolished talent that we can help and nurture. I think we’ve got a perfect mix, if I’m being honest. We’ve got the eccentric acts, the bedroom performers, and then the people who have honed their act and worked for years and years on it but never quite made it.
As far as we’re concerned everyone deserves the chance, whether they’re brilliant or unpolished, because even the brilliant people have worked really hard for years and might just need a bit of BGT sparkle to push themselves to the next level.
Have you got your eye on any particular act?
OBVIOUSLY my golden buzzer act should win but to keep it fair I think I would love a choir to do well this year too. We’ve had a strong bout of them this year and the standard is very high.
We’ve put a lot of choirs through to the semi-finals and I just think the money would make a difference to more than one person. I think a choir would be a really good ambassador for Britain’s Got Talent, so that’s what I’m kind of rooting for.
Were there any dance acts who caught your eye this year?
YEAH, we have a group from India who were absolutely amazing.
We hate having to refer back to Diversity because we sound like a broken record but for me, still, I can’t name any other dance crews who were as good or as imaginative as them, and they’ve always stood out, and they’re the ones we’ve always measured everything else by. But these dancers I honestly think they can compete with Diversity.
David and Simon have apparently been up on stage a lot this year. What’s that all about?
I KNOW! Simon always takes the mickey out of David and me saying, “You’re always like a rat up a drainpipe, when you’re asked to go on stage”. He always says we like to show off. But now he’s the one who is out of his chair before David is.
Of course, Simon edits the show, so you know who’s going to win between the two of them. Simon’s got his own book series coming out (with son Eric, six) so they’ll be competing even more. Simon was desperately trying to announce it while we were doing the show together just so he could wind David up about it. But he held back from announcing it so he didn’t quite get his moment to rub David’s nose in it.
How do you think David will react?
I THINK David will be delighted for him. I don’t think they’re in competition because Simon and Eric’s books are going to be for a lot younger children, there’s loads more pictures, so they’re fine. I think David will be fine too.
■ Britain’s Got Talent, ITV, tonight, 8pm.
You just never know what’s going to walk out on stage and that’s what everyone loves, the element of surprise. Amanda Holden