Amanda tips comic to win BGT

Amanda Holden thinks a comedian could win this year's Britain's Got Talent.

Series seven of the ITV talent contest begins on Saturday and judge Amanda said she was very excited about the chances of a comedy act winning.

Amanda, 42, said: "The comedy genre this year is really strong. We've got some brilliant impressionists and some brilliant comedians, which thrills me because every year I say I'd like a comedian to win."

Britain's Got More Talent presenter Stephen Mulhern agreed with Amanda and said the type of acts on the show have branched out from the usual singers and dancers.

The 36-year-old Catchphrase host said: "We've got more variety and speciality than dancers and singers this year. I honestly think the winner is going to be a woman this year and her act is just brilliant. It's something we don't see on TV enough and it's just excellent.

"The clue that I'll give is that she does a lot of different people very well."

Both Amanda and Stephen said Simon Cowell had some outlandish demands.

Amanda said: "He has a pants putter-oner," while Stephen revealed: "Every day he has a bowl of carrots, a bowl of celery and a special dip and he has his carrots flown in from Singapore."

Meanwhile, judge Alesha Dixon said Simon has not asked her to join The X Factor judging panel and confirmed she will be staying put at Britain's Got Talent: "I'm pretty happy where I am."

 

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.