No.1 for Interviews - Britain's Got Talent
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Back for a third series, amid a storm of controversy following Kelly Brook's arrival and subsequent departure, No.1 caught up with the judges and Ant & Dec to find out what's in store.
It's that time of year when Britain's Got Talent is set to take over our TV screens, the last two series had us on the edge of our seats. Hosted by Ant and Dec, with judges Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden, the show once again travels the length and breadth of the UK in search of Britain's most exciting acts. The show is open to any performer, any age, with any talent. All they need is a skill that they think will impress not only the judges, but ultimately the Royal Family as the winner will perform at this year's Royal Variety Performance, and walk away with a life changing £100k.
From dance troupes and singers, to singing dogs and break dancing OAPs, magicians to comedians, acrobats to burlesque dancers, the UK has continued to deliver the goods. This year the show caused controversy when the producers decided to add Kelly Brook to the judging panel before she was axed barely a week later citing problems with chemistry amongst the judges as the reason for her departure. No.1 caught up with the judges to find out what was in store this year!
How does Britain's Got Talent differ to the other talent shows?
Simon The great thing about this show is that in year one we found a mobile phone salesman who turned out to be an opera singer who has gone on to become a global star and in year two we found a 14-year-old break dancer. Anyone can win this show. There are no limits; it's open to everyone with talent.
Is there still more talent out there waiting to be discovered?
Simon There's always a danger with show like this that everyone who applies is useless. But if we didn't think there was talent in this country, I wouldn't bother. So yes, I do believe there is talent out there in need of a break; that is why we do this show.
Piers I think we all agreed that the standard seemed higher this year compared to previous series, particularly in the area of street dancing. There are some fantastic singers too. Plus there are a few variety acts that I think will definitely get the whole country talking. Look out for Stavros Flatley, and the moonwalking Darth Vader, both right out there on the edge of 'talent' but very entertaining.
What do you like about doing the show?
Simon One of the reasons you do this show is that you want to change someone's life and it would be great to find someone who becomes an example for other people, as George Sampson and Paul Potts did. They were a fantastic example that if you've got talent, if you've got determination, you can change your life and I think other people look at them now and want that to happen to them.
What makes your heart sink?
Amanda Magicians! And unicyclists, they are a new entry for series three!
Do you worry about finding the right winner?
Simon It's a massive responsibility; it's not just about winning a TV show, we are also putting an act in front of the Royal Family. So you pray the people that turn up are even better then the year before.
What was most memorable bizarre audition?
Amanda We had a witch in Birmingham who was mad! She was terrible as an act and then cursed us all. For the rest of that day we saw nothing but bad acts. I called her backstage and asked her to lift the curse, which she did and after that it was talent all the way!
Dec We actually had a few people turn up who didn't have an act planned. They had a talent but not an act! They'd just go up there and busk it. They were guaranteed to come a cropper.
Piers The worst audition was Glasgow, just terrible from start to finish with just the odd ray of sunshine amid the doom and gloom. I can't understand it because Scots have a load of talent, and are a very entertaining race, but on this show they are becoming about as much use as a haggis - i.e. none at all, other than to make you feel slightly nauseous.
Do the audiences influence your decisions?
Amanda The audience are getting the hang of it, they know they can change our decisions. It varies, in Scotland the audience want blood, in Wales they're relaxed and like musical numbers and in Birmingham they also want blood - it depends where you are. How have you found working with each other?
Piers Oh, it's been the usual ups and downs. We spend five weeks together up and down the country, put any human being into that kind of environment for long enough and sparks will fly! The three of us even went to dinner at Gordon Brown's gaff and had a whale of a time. I think Simon secretly wants to run the country and Gordon would make a great judge, so perhaps they should swap jobs.
Amanda Same as last year, I adore Piers and Simon. It's like a marriage with three people, which can work because if you get bored with one, you go to other. Piers has been a solid rock for me this year and Simon continues to be the naughty boy. He still finds it funny that I cry at acts, I've cried at robots, jugglers all sorts this year. During auditions you can forget all about Ant and Dec as we don't see them all day but they are the glue that holds it all together.
Dec We tend to disagree quite a lot with the judges, especially Simon and Piers. Sometimes they judge an act on whether the act appeals to them, when they should be judging on whether it appeals to a mass audience. Simon often judges an act on how many records they would sell, which isn't a very fair way to judge a comedian or a magician!
Ant Although I do have to say, most of the time Simon hits the nail on the head.
Ant & Dec, do you find it hard to keep a straight face during the backstage chats?
Dec Yes and we very rarely do. We giggle quite a lot. Sometimes we have to have a little word with ourselves to calm down as you can burst into fits of hysterical laughter with some of the acts.
Ant I have blatantly laughed in act's faces and then apologised later. You can't help it sometimes, they are just so funny.
Why do you think you are qualified to judge on this show?
Simon I'm not sure anyone is totally qualified to judge everything we see on this show! Dancing dogs, strippers, singers, dancers, jugglers, the one thing I do know is that I have a good instinct about what I think the public will like.
Amanda I'm the only one on the judging panel that has performed at the Royal Variety so I know what it means to stand on that stage and be nervous. I'd like to think of myself as the editor of the judging panel in that I bring it back to basics. Piers tends to waffle on and I like to bring it back to the person standing on the stage. Sometimes we're arguing between ourselves and the poor person/act stood on stage is still there waiting for an answer. I keep a whip under the desk to keep those boys in check!
Funniest moments from the tour?
Piers My best moment came when I asked Amanda who the Chancellor of the Exchequer was. A fairly important guy right now, for obvious reasons. 'Oh, um, er, I don't know,' she replied. 'Let me help you,' I said, 'his surname is a word you luvvie actresses use all the time.' Amanda thought for a few seconds then shouted, 'DARLING!'
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