Get ready for the wild, wacky, weird and wonderful as Britain’s Got Talent 2024 is here!
Hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly are waiting in the wings at The London Palladium, as the auditions kick-off for the ITV entertainment juggernaut’s 17th series with hopefuls coming from all corners of the UK - and the world! - to show off the talents they believe are fit for royalty.
Watching their every move are the show’s resident judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli who, after hitting the golden buzzer for dance act Ghetto Kids during their performance last series, is causing even more chaos this time round!
In a break during filming, judge Alesha, 45, tells What To Watch about what's in store…
This is the 17th series of BGT. What do you think keeps people tuning in?
"I've always enjoyed the show’s human touch, hearing people's stories and why they’ve signed up for the show. We need those connections with people now more than ever; we’re living in stressful times and people are just looking for joy, hope and escapism. Those moments remind you how beautiful humanity is - and we've got them in abundance this year."
How does this year’s BGT compare to previous series?
"It’s always the people who audition who make it different. Those extraordinary people we see year on year that surprise us, delight us and show us things we've never seen before… or thought we'd ever see! There’s always someone doing something they shouldn’t with a body part or just causing absolute carnage. During one very messy slapstick comedy routine, I ran off and refused to come back. You have to expect the unexpected."
Speaking of 'expecting the unexpected' what's it been like sitting beside Bruno this series?
"It is dangerous sitting next to Bruno, ha, ha! When the energy needs lifting in the room, Bruno’s your man; he’s like an excitable puppy, he can't sit still. The downside is, I'm often on the receiving end of his craziness. I experienced it when I worked next to him on Strictly but he seems even more energetic on Britain's Got Talent. I think Bruno feeds off the vibe in the room. He just loves it, he's in his element."
There are nine golden buzzers through to the live semi-finals this year. What can you tell us about your golden buzzer act?
"Personally, I only pressed the golden buzzer once. It was for a very moving moment, which you’ll see. We always go into the auditions with the intention of pressing it once, then, if an act is outstanding, and the audience is putting pressure on, there might be more. Simon doesn't like rules, he thinks they’re there to be broken."
A choir we saw really resonated with you because they belong to a youth club, like you did growing up. Does that influence your decision on whether to put an act through?
"Of course! I know exactly how it feels to stand on a stage and how getting the right break at the right moment can be life-changing. But I don't need to have experienced something to have empathy. BGT is an emotional roller coaster; one minute you're laughing then you're crying, then it’s a sombre moment, then a crazy moment. You go through so many different emotions throughout the audition process but that's what makes it beautiful."
We also saw a young magician, just nine years’ old yet so confident…
"I'm always in admiration of the kids on this show and this young magician is incredible. How they held their own and their showmanship at such a young age. I've got a 10-year-old daughter myself [Azura, sister to Anaya, four] and I can't imagine her being on a stage as big as BGT. I remember performing in my school assembly, when I was a kid, how terrified I’d be. And that’s just in assembly, not being watched by millions!"
Will we see any of the judges’ children on this series of BGT?
"Not auditioning but maybe judging. There’s a lovely moment where our kids join us on the panel to critique an act. We've always said when we retire they can take over from us!"
Do you have a prediction on the kind of act who might win BGT 2024?
"It could be a singer - we haven't had a singer win for a long time and we do have some very strong singers this time. Not a huge amount of dancers but the dance acts that did go through are outstanding. I do wish we had more stand-up comedians - it's one of the hardest acts to do but, when they're good, they go down a storm."
Finally, we loved you rap as host of last year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. Might you perform on BGT?
"I'm constantly being asked to freestyle and rap and, when it's spontaneous, it's always more fun. I’m excited about putting new music out this year, going back to my roots and doing what I love. And, who knows, maybe we'll see that at some point on BGT."
Britain's Got Talent returns on Saturday, April 20 at 7.30pm on ITV1.
