Simon Cowell 'blasts' BGT bosses over acts
Simon Cowell has criticised Britain's Got Talent bosses over the poor quality of the acts on the current series, according to the papers. The Mirror reports that the mogul has called an urgent meeting with the show's producers Talkback Thames saying that everybody needed to up their game. His remarks come after he gave scathing reviews to some of the acts in this week's semi-finals - including singing woodchopper Sean Sheehan. "I actually wonder if I'm on the right show at the moment," he said after the 66-year-old had performed. He also hit out at cross-dressing singer Mark James, calling him "arguably one of the worst acts we have seen this year". The 50-year-old reportedly said to producers, "The show's gone backwards. Some of the acts in the semi shouldn't have even got to that stage. Sometimes I feel I am in the wrong show with what has gone before me." An insider told the paper, "He said they couldn't rest on their laurels. Simon wants the very best. He knows what the public likes and he works tirelessly to give it to them. None of the acts has really captured the public's imagination like in previous years. "It's something that should have been flagged up beforehand during the early auditions. "There is a feeling the show is maintaining a good rating on the back of its previous series," the source added, "but it's a recipe for disaster. Everyone knows each show is only as good as the next." Simon has said he will not be taking part in the audition stage of the 2011 series, instead joining the show for the live semi-finals. Gymnastic troupe Spelbound are the bookies' favourites to win Saturday's final, followed by impressionist Paul Burling, canine performing act Tina and Chandi and octogenarian singer Janey Cutler.
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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.