Why is David Walliams suing Britain's Got Talent is the question on many people's lips, as reports emerge that the comedian has taken aim at the show's production company.

Comedian and children's author David Walliams was a popular judge on Britain's Got Talent for 10 years before he stepped down from the show last November. His resignation left fans wondering why David Walliams wasn't on BGT in 2023, following his replacement Bruno Tonioli making his debut when Britain's Got Talent started. 

Now, reports have emerged that David Walliams is suing the company that makes Britain's Got Talent, almost a year after he quit. The news has dragged up memories of the criticism he faced shortly before his resignation, following the leaking of comments he made about BGT contestants back in 2020, but the one thing TV fans want to know is why David Walliams is suing Britain's Got Talent. 

Why is David Walliams suing Britain's Got Talent?

David Walliams is reportedly suing BGT's production company, Freemantle, over a 'data protection breach'. The former judge and children's author lodged papers at London's High Court last Thursday (21st September), under his real name, David Williams.

In November 2022, David Walliams stepped down as a judge on the talent show. A source told The Sun at the time, "David has decided to bow out after a ten-year run. He wants to leave on a high after a wonderful time." They added, "He hasn’t taken the decision lightly, but it just feels like time to move on."

The news of his resignation came shortly after a leaked transcript of comments he had made about Britain's Got Talent contestants back in 2020 was published in The Guardian.

His comments hit the headlines and sparked public criticism of the talent show judge, who later apologised for making the "disrespectful comments", saying in a statement, "I would like to apologise to the people I made disrespectful comments about during breaks in filming for Britain’s Got Talent in 2020.

"These were private conversations and – like most conversations with friends – were never intended to be shared. Nevertheless, I am sorry."

Reports have emerged that David Walliams has hired legal company Brandsmiths, who specialise in data protection breaches.

What did David Walliams say about BGT contestants?

According to the leaked transcript obtained by The Guardian, David Walliams called one contestant a "c***" three times and mocked another during breaks in filming BGT auditions back in 2020.

One of the incidents involved a performer who engaged in some banter with the judges, in which he made a jibe about Walliams. After the contestant was off stage and out of earshot, Walliams described him as "a c***" three times.

Another incident occurred after a female contestant left the stage, when Walliams said: "She’s like the slightly boring girl you meet in the pub that thinks you want to f*** them, but you don’t."

The comments were picked up by microphones used to record discussions between the judges.

In a statement at the time, ITV said, "We do not condone the language outlined in these allegations, and we have spoken to the producers of Britain's Got Talent.

"Duty of care towards all participants on any of our programmes is always of paramount importance and we have protocols and guidelines in place for all our production partners."

Meanwhile, Thames TV said: "Although relating to a private conversation almost three years ago, the language used was inappropriate. Even though it was private, those involved have been spoken to and reminded of their responsibilities and the show’s expectations as to future professional conduct."

What is David Walliams doing now?

Since leaving Britain's Got Talent, David Walliams has continued in his work as a children's author, having published several new books in the past year.

In October, his brand new book The Blunders will be released, and the comedian is going to be on tour and doing book signings across the UK in the days around its release. 

In July, another of his children's books, The World's Worst Monsters, was released, while Robodog was released in March.

In addition, Walliams appears in the BBC's comedy Sandylands, which is currently airing on BBC Two and available to watch on iPlayer.

Elsewhere, David Walliams can be seen on his Instagram spending plenty of time with fellow friend and comedian Matt Lucas, and in August he spent his birthday celebrating with other stars including David Schwimmer, Ant McPartlin, Robbie Williams, Rob Brydon and BGT judges Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden.

David Walliams net worth

According to Celebrity Net Worth, David Walliams is worth $25million - that's around £20million.

This won't come as a surprise, as he is one of Britain's most successful comedians, and has previously picked up the award for Best Judge at the National Television Awards on more than one occasion. 

He first rose to fame on sketch comedy show Little Britain, and also starred on Come Fly With Me and Big School. 

As well as his TV success, David Walliams has written over 25 children’s books, and won the People’s Book Prize in 2009 for Mr Stink. 

In other celebrity news, we've revealed the Strictly Come Dancing line up for 2023, and we've got everything you need to know about Take That's upcoming tour. 

Simon Cowell has revealed son Eric wants to 'be in a band' when he's older but he's putting his foot down when it comes to auditioning for any of his talent shows.

The Britain's Got Talent and America's Got Talent judge is engaged to Lauren Silverman with whom he has son Eric, aged nine. And with a famous talent manager as your dad, you'd think Eric would be sure to land a spot on one of his famous TV shows.

While most parents are supportive of their kids when it comes to their parenting styles, whether it's gentle parenting or Tiger parenting, it seems Simon's going to be cruel to be kind.

Simon, who has lost both his parents, has admitted that he's not going to go easy on his first and only child during a rare chat about family life. Speaking on The Mirror's Men in Mind podcast, Simon spills details of his son's dream future career.

"He has said the dreaded words, 'Daddy, can I audition for you?' And I'm like, 'Oh, No!' He wants to be in a band. He likes Green Day," Simon laughed. 

"So, I'm like, 'We'll have this conversation later.' He's going to do what he wants to do."

But Simon isn't going to give him a 'free pass' to perform on Britain's Got Talent or America's Got Talent - he's got to earn it.

He explained, "I've said to him, 'If you are not good, you are not going on the show. And that means you've got to rehearse. Sorry, you have to take a lot of lessons, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.'

"He is like, 'Okay'. And then I think he lost interest, but I think he just, I don't know. He's just up for it for some reason. But if he's terrible, no, you won't see him on the show."

Awww. Maybe Eric should start filling out his The Voice Kids application just incase!

For more showbiz news there's will there be a wedding and another baby for Simon? and Simon Cowell's controversial activity with son Eric.

The Voice Kids is back for 2023 with a brand new line up of talented youngsters and fans want to know where it's filmed, how to watch and who are the judges?

If you're gutted that Britain's Got Talent is over for another year, fear not, as The Voice Kids - the 'little sister' show of The Voice - has made a welcomed return to screens with Emma Willis presenting.

A fresh group of child stars aged seven to 14 perform in front of the famous red chairs in a bid to showcase their vocal skills as they battle it out in the hope that they will impress the judges and make it through to the final. 

We look at all you need to know about the new season...

Where is The Voice Kids filmed?

The Voice Kids is filmed at Elstree Studios, which is in Borehamwood - 20 minutes out of London - and has been filmed there from 2022 until present. Previously the show was filmed from Dock 10 at Media City UK in Manchester from 2017 until 2021.

Is The Voice Kids on tonight?

The Voice Kids airs on Saturday night, from 7.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX. In its seventh year, the season will run for three episodes. The first aired on July 1st, with the second episode to air tomorrow (July 7th) and the third on July 15th.

Voice Kids judges

There are four judges on The Voice Kids and these are Ronan Keating, Will.i.am, Danny Jones and Pixie Lott. The show was filmed months before Pixie Lott revealed she is pregnant with her first baby.

In an interview with Whattowatch.com, Will.i.am said, "I won't give too much away but church is in my squad this year. I had soul, gospel, rap, and even musical theatre going on."

Meanwhile, Danny Jones teased, "Team Danny is like a mini supergroup. You've got a pop princess, some soul, a big rock singer, and a busker. I'm very proud of my team. I loved all four of them, so this year is probably one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make..."

Meanwhile, if you've got younger children you might want to check out these Prime Day Baby deals on goodto.com ahead of the big event.

Britain's Got Talent 2023 star Amy Lou Smith has given birth just hours before her show audition was aired on ITV1. 

The talented singer, who works as a sunbed shop receptionist in the West Midlands, told Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and new judge Bruno Tonioli that she was 30 weeks pregnant during the auditions.

And as fans watched her storm through to the next round after her rendition of Beyonce's ballad Listen got four votes, Amy missed tuning into the show as she was in hospital cradling her newborn baby Aida.

Amanda joked on the show that she feared the baby might have 'dropped out' after the mum-to-be hit the high notes, but the auditions were filmed back in January and Amy actually gave birth to her baby girl on Saturday - just hours before her audition aired.

Amy, who already has a four-year-old son, told The Mirror, “She is absolutely perfect and healthy in every single form. I am so overwhelmed with all the love and support I’ve received from being on the show. I cannot put into words how in love we are with our perfect little girl. She’s made the family complete.

“I love being a mum and I’m beyond grateful and blessed that I’ve been able to welcome Aida into the world. It all feels like a dream right now and I keep having to pinch myself to make sure it’s not."

Amy admitted she didn't hear that her audition would be aired until the day before but by that time she was already booked in to give birth to Aida.

She explained, “So we were so shocked! I hadn’t told anybody on the show I was having her this weekend - so it’s crazy! As a family we are so in love and I’m so overwhelmed by all the kindness that has come our way. My own little BGT baby!”

And both mum and baby have already had a taste of fame as nurses "swarmed" her room after watching the audition in the offices.

“What a day yesterday was for me. Life has gone crazy as you may imagine and the feedback and comments and positivity from the show is just insane - I’m so happy.” Amy added.

Amy thanks her fans on Facebook for their support, she wrote, "I want to thank every single person who has sent me beautiful comments , well wishes , and love and support for the birth of my new baby girl and my Britains got talent audition Saturday night.

"I am reading all your messages in between my newborn baby cuddles , as you can imagine life is pretty crazy right now but I am so thankful to you all…. And I’ll get back to you all when I’m out of the beautiful baby bubble that I’m currently in.. love you all very much x"

One fan wrote, "Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful daughter enjoy the newborn cuddles they are precious. You were amazing on Britain's Got Talent so happy for you."

Another fan put, "Aww, congratulations!! You were amazing on the show and gave me goosebumps."

While a third fan added, "Congratulations on the birth of your daughter, and wow what an audition."

For those who missed it, you can watch Amy Lou's full audition below... 

Britain's Got Talent continues this Saturday and Sunday on ITV1 AT 8pm and ITV+1 an hour later. It can also be streamed on ITVX.

Britain's Got Talent 2023 gets underway this weekend with a change to its judging panel since the David Walliams' exit, viewers are wondering who is Bruno Tonioli and is he married?

Many fans will asking why is David Walliams not on BTG? after he was replaced by Dancing With the Stars judge and former judge on Strictly Come Dancing.

Bruno joins existing judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon for the 16th season and while you can play along at home with the Britain's Got Talent 2-in-1 game, we look at all you need to know about the new judge...

Who is Bruno Tonioli?

Bruno Tonioli is an Italian choreographer, who is also trained in ballroom and latin dance and sits as a judge on the UK version of Britain's Got Talent and Dancing With the Stars on ABC in the US. He quit as a judge of Strictly Come Dancing after 18 years on the show because his work schedule clashed and he was replaced by Anton Du Beke. 

Born in Ferrara, Italy, to his bus driver father Werther and his mother Fulvia, who stitched car seat upholstery, lived with his parents and his grandparents until he was 12. He's been living in London since 1975 and can speak five languages - Italian, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.

In 1980 he performed with an entry for Eurovision, with a group called Duke and the Aces and joined Paris-based company La Grande Eugene in the early 80s.

In his star-studded career he's worked on numerous films, plays, music videos, commercials and television series to name but a few with icons including Elton John and Michael Jackson.

Believe it or not, he even starred in Elton John's video of hit I'm Still Standing and has released a book in 2012 called Bruno: My Story.

Bruno has admitted he was 'petrified' at joining the judging panel on Simon Cowell's show. Speaking on The One Show, he confessed, "I was petrified. I was really nervous. Because nobody told me, I didn't have any rehearsals, nothing - 'You're on'. Someone said: 'Just do your thing'. Okay, I'll do my thing."

He did just that and teased that he pressed his golden buzzer mid-performance for a dance act he loved.

"There was this amazing act, that you will see, they were so incredible, I just couldn't wait to get the buzzer. It was 'Whack!' Dancers. I literally went for it. And it was mid-performance," he said.

"The stage exploded with gold and everybody [gasped]. [I thought] what's going on here? Have I done something wrong? - it was actually amazing. But honestly, nobody told me you had to wait until the end of the performance!"

We can't wait to hear his critique for those who aren't so good! and if you're wondering where the Britain's Got Talent stars are now take a look.

Is Bruno Tonioli married?

Bruno Tonioli is not married but he is thought to be in a long-term relationship with partner Jason Schanne. The pair have been dating since 2010 and held a committed ceremony two years after they met. Bruno keeps his personal life out of the spotlight but it's understood that Jason is a model, who turns 37 this year, and lived in Michigan, US. Bruno is 31 years older - celebrating his 68th birthday later this year.

There are no known photos of Bruno and Jason but Bruno was pictured at the European Premiere of Mary Poppins Returns with model Matt Law back in 2018 but he later made clear the pair were only close friends. 

In an interview with the Mirror Bruno opened up on the homophobic abuse he received as a youngster, "When I was 10, I knew there was something different about me.

"Everyone was football-mad but I just wanted to watch musicals and see art.

"It was frightening. I really WAS the only gay in the village.

"I was labelled 'the queenie guy' and 'the queer', which was the worst thing you could be told in Italy in those days."

Britain's Got Talent airs on Saturday, 15th April at 8pm on ITV1 and is available an hour later on ITV+1 or to stream on ITVX.

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Video of the week

The build up to Britain's Got Talent 2023 has officially begun. With auditions for the show's 15th season starting at the London Palladium earlier this week, many fans are wondering 'When does Britain's Got Talent start 2023?'

While it has been confirmed that David Walliams will not be returning as a judge this season, fans are still excitedly waiting to see what this year's contestants have to offer. From the price of tickets to the much anticipated release date, here's everything we know about Britain's Got Talent 2023. 

When does Britain's Got Talent start 2023?

As of today, no set date has been announced for the return of Britain's Got Talent. However, it is most likely that the show will launch in April 2023 just as it did in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022.

The show did not air in 2021 due to COVID19 restrictions and the previous year's episodes were shown in two sections, with one airing in April and the other in August. 

Who are this years Britain's Got Talent judges?

While David Walliams will not be judging on this year's Britain's Got Talent, veteran judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, and Alesha Dixon will return. They will be joined by the former Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli. Simon and Amanda have sat on the judging panel since the show first began back in 2007, with Alesha Dixon joining the line up in 2012.

Bruno joins the Britain's Got Talent judges after his departure from Strictly Come Dancing where he was a judge for 18 years.

During filming earlier this week, Dec welcomed the audience and the new judge, saying, "We’re so excited to be back! We’ve got a bit of a change this year, a brand new judge on the panel!"

Bruno reportedly blushed, replying, "I am thrilled to be here, look at these girls, they’re stunning," he said as he gestured to Amanda and Alesha. He continued, "And my old friend Simon, what an honour it is to work with you, finally. He’s teased me with this for years and years, I tell you. I’m thrilled to finally be here. I’m very emotional and I’m very, very nervous."

How do you get tickets for Britain's Got Talent?

You can get tickets to see Britain's Got Talent live through the show's official page on the Applause Store. Unlike most shows, tickets are free and you don't 'buy' them, instead applying for the free tickets. Those requesting tickets must be over the age of 12, with guests under 18 requiring an adult chaperone.

While tickets to the show are free, some people have taken advantage of the Applause Store and are selling the free tickets they get for a profit on sites like Ebay. The Applause Store has made a statement against this, saying that anyone found to be selling their ticket will instantly be banned from the site and may also face formal proceedings against them. 

How much money do you get if you win BGT?

The winner of Britain's Got Talent receives a £250,000 grand prize and the chance to perform at the Royal Variety Performance. The prize money has remained the same since 2013, with winner's prior to 2013 winning £100,000. The one exception was the memorable dancing duo Ashleigh and Pudsey, who won £500,000 in 2012. 

Fans of the talent show are wondering why David Walliams isn't on Britain's Got Talent this year.

Comedian turned children's author David Walliams had been a judge on BGT since 2012 - alongside Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon - but fans of the ITV talent show were left shocked back in November 2022 when it was reported that he would be leaving the show after 10 years.

The departure of Walliams - who was forced to apologise earlier that same month for making foul-mouthed comments about contestants during filming back in 2020 - has left many wanting to know why did David Walliams leave Britain's Got Talent? 

Why is David Walliams not on Britain's Got Talent 2023?

David Walliams reportedly decided to leave Britain's Got Talent because he feels it's "time to move on and focus on his other projects." A source told The Sun, "He hasn’t taken the decision lightly, but it just feels like time to move on."

Though the comedian never made a formal confirmation on his departure from the talent show, it was widely reported that he was expected to step down following the leaking of his disrespectful comments about contestants auditioning for the show.

A source close to Walliams told The Sun, "David has decided to bow out after a ten-year run. Being on the show has been a huge source of entertainment and joy for him and he is arguably the most popular member of the panel.

"He hasn’t taken the decision lightly, but it feels like time to move on and focus on his other projects."

The source added: "His team have quietly been having conversations over the past few days where it has been made clear that David is readying himself to step down – and then producers will start to think about who might replace him.

"His exit might not be popular with fans who adore him, but for David it appears that now, after an amazing ten years on the show, it is the right time to move on."

Meanwhile, Walliams' Little Britain co-star Matt Lucas hinted that the pair have an upcoming project that may be part of the reason Walliams left BGT.

Speaking on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on Radio 2, Lucas said: "Me and David Walliams have started writing together again. We just thought it was time so we quit our jobs and decided to do that.

"We’re really excited about it. It will be a show with us playing lots of characters. But we have to write the treatment for it and we have to go and pitch it and see if anyone wants to make it. But if someone wants to make it, we’ll be thrilled to do it."

Who has replaced David Walliams on BGT?

David Walliams is being replaced as a judge on Britain's Got Talent by Bruno Tonioli, who is best known for his previous role as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing.

The Italian choreographer and dancer left the BBC show in 2021 and was replaced by longstanding professional dancer Anton Du Beke, though Tonioli still appears as a judge on America's Dancing With The Stars. 

He made his first BGT appearance on Tuesday 24 January at the first judge's audition of the 2023 series at the London Palladium, and said on air: "Here we are, Britain's Got Talent. I am so excited. It's my first show, I have no idea what's going to happen, but I'm sure it's going to be brilliant."

Bruno recently revealed to Radio Times, "I haven't seen David [Walliams], but he was the first person to send me a message saying congratulations. He also sent a fantastic bottle of Italian wine to my dressing room on my first day. I thought that was absolute class."

What did David Walliams say about BGT contestants?

According to the leaked transcript obtained by The Guardian, David Walliams called one contestant a "c***" three times and mocked another during breaks in filming BGT auditions back in 2020.

One of the incidents involved a performer who engaged in some banter with the judges, in which he made a jibe about Walliams. After the contestant was off stage and out of earshot, Walliams described him as "a c***" three times.

Another incident occurred after a female contestant left the stage, when Walliams said: "She’s like the slightly boring girl you meet in the pub that thinks you want to f*** them, but you don’t."

The comments were picked up by microphones used to record discussion between the judges.

After the comments came to light, Walliams said in a statement: "I would like to apologise to the people I made disrespectful comments about during breaks in filming for Britain’s Got Talent in 2020. These were private conversations and – like most conversations with friends – were never intended to be shared. Nevertheless, I am sorry."

In a statement at the time, ITV said, "We do not condone the language outlined in these allegations, and we have spoken to the producers of Britain's Got Talent.

"Duty of care towards all participants on any of our programmes is always of paramount importance and we have protocols and guidelines in place for all our production partners."

Meanwhile, Thames TV said: "Although relating to a private conversation almost three years ago, the language used was inappropriate. Even though it was private, those involved have been spoken to and reminded of their responsibilities and the show’s expectations as to future professional conduct."

Walliams had been booked to appear on Jonathan Ross' chat show that Saturday after his comments were made public, but made the decision to pull out from the programme.

The Guardian reported that Walliams’ comments were the only instances of derogatory remarks made about contestants from three episodes that were reviewed.

When does Britain's Got Talent start in 2023?

Britain's Got Talent 2023 starts on Saturday 15 April. It will air on ITV at 8pm, and the following episode will air at 7.45pm on Sunday 16 April. If you miss it, you can catch up on ITVX.

Judges auditions for Britain's Got Talent 2023 started on Tuesday 24 January at the London Palladium and continued until Sunday 29, after which the auditions moved to The Lowry in Salford, Greater Manchester.

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Video of the week

Series 15 of Britain's Got Talent is well underway and the judges of the ITV show are reunited once more marking the 10th year the panel has remained the same, but fans are asking who is Amanda Holden and why is she famous?

The judge has been on the panel since series one alongside music mogul Simon Cowell. Amanda has a love of musical theatre and can't resist a dog act when it comes to auditions, so we have all you need to know about Amanda as we look at what's made her famous...

Who is Amanda Holden?

Amanda Louise Holden is an actress, TV judge and radio presenter - she is currently a judge on Britain's Got Talent where she has been ever since the show started back in 2007 and you can tune into Heart Breakfast show weekday mornings as she hosts the programme with Jamie Theakston.

Born on 16th February 1971, Amanda celebrated her 51st birthday in 2022. In December 2008 she married husband Chris Hughes and the couple have two daughters Lexi, 16, and Hollie, 10.

With an estimated net worth of 4.7 million, Amanda has branched out to her own home decor collection Bundleberry range which is available to buy on QVC.

What is Amanda Holden famous for?

Amanda Holden is famous for her television work - her first TV appearance was as a contestant on the game show Blind Date in 1991. Between 1998 and 2001 Amanda appeared in The Grimleys, Kiss Me Kate (1999-2001), Cutting It (2002-2004). And from 2006 to 2008 she played Sarah Tervanian in three series of ITV's Wild at Heart before moving on to Big Top (2009).

Her stage credits include playing the title role in the musical stage show Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2004, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award.

Speaking about that stage show role which due to schedules forced her to only appear in one episode of the last series of Marple, she confessed, "It was knackering, and the biggest challenge I've faced, professionally, in my career. I could have fallen on my backside - but I didn't once. It was an awful decision to have to make, to be honest. It was sad it was all at the same time. But I was able to turn up in one episode of Cutting It, so I got the best of both worlds."

And Amanda has presented various TV shows for ITV including The Sun Military Awards (2009–2014), Superstar (2012), This Morning (2014–2018), Text Santa (2015), and Give a Pet a Home (2015).

Amanda became a Sunday Times Bestseller in 2013 when she released her autobiography No Holding Back, and in 2020 she released her debut studio album Songs from My Heart.

These days Amanda is famous for being a judge on Britain's Got Talent and has been since it started back in 2007 and currently co-hosts Heart Breakfast radio show alongside Jamie Theakston.

Amanda Holden in Miss Marple

Amanda Holden played Lucy Eyelesbarrow in Agatha Christie's Marple TV Series between 2004–2013 in 4.50 From Paddington. Speaking about the role at the time she said, "I don't often get the chance to do a lot of period drama - I think everyone just sees me as a modern girl. So, the chance to wear gorgeous frocks and wonderful hairstyles really appealed."

The part reunited her with Cutting It co-star Ben Daniels, as alcoholic Alfred Crackenthorpe. "I couldn't believe it when I found out he was in it. We play such different characters from Cutting It and it's been a lot of fun. He's a horrible, bumbling drunk and a bit of a lech" she added.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esw1FreaFbE

Amanda Holden before she was famous

Before Amanda Holden was famous she spend much of her childhood in Bishop's Waltham, after being born in Portsmouth, Hampshire. At the age of nine she joined Bishop's Waltham Little Theatre Company and was later educated at Swanmore College. At 16 she moved to Bournemouth before taking the plunge and heading to South London to attend Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.

Britain's Got Talent is on Saturdays at 8pm on ITV and ITV hub.

After it was rested for a year Britain's Got Talent returns to ITV and fans can't wait as they're wondering when is BGT 2022? 

The reality talent show, which last aired in 2020, was cancelled in 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic but filming auditions resumed earlier this year and the show is expected to be bigger and better than ever before.

So with singers, dancers, magicians, comedians and animal tricks expected to fill the audition line up once again, you might wonder where the BGT contestants are now, but we look at all you need to know ahead of the start of the new series...

When is Britain's Got Talent 2022?

BGT 2022 returns to ITV on Saturday, 16th April at 8pm and will continue to following day (Sunday April 17, 2022) at 7.35pm. Each show will be available to stream on the ITV Hub after each episode has aired.

Contestants will be hoping to impress judges and viewers at home with their talents as they compete for a huge cash prize and for the chance to be on the bill for the Royal Variety Show - which promises to be an extra special one as it's the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year.

In 2020 comedy pianist Jon Courtenay won the £250,000 cash prize.

The auditions have already taken place, they were filmed earlier this year at the London Palladium in the West End, where hundreds of performers gave it their best shot in front of a live audience.

You will be able to see who makes it through to the live shows, and acts need three or more yeses to make it through - unless of course they are saved via the prestigious golden buzzer.

Hosts Ant and Dec are returning to introduce the acts and chat to them backstage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJBIC0JCcG4

How to get BGT 2022 tickets

You cannot apply for BGT 2022 tickets for the audition stage as these have already been filmed but you can apply for BGT 2022 tickets for a chance to be in the audience for the live semi-finals via the Applause store.

Tickets are being "released soon" so be quick and register your interest right now if you're keen to be in with the chance of getting tickets and being famous like Amanda Holden.

The minimum age limit to be part of the audience is 12+ and all under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.

Who are the Britain's Got Talent 2022 judges?

The judges confirmed for BGT 2022 are Simon Cowell, Heart Breakfast DJ Amanda Holden, singer Alesha Dixon and comedian David Walliams. It will. be the 10th year that the same judges have been part of the show.

Ashley Banjo replaced Simon Cowell in the final for 2020 show but fans will be delighted that the music mogul is back for the new series. The judge got engaged to his girlfriend Lauren Silverman earlier this year and is fully recovered following his bike accident in 2020.

Speaking about being back on the hit show, Simon said, "I'm so excited we're back! I can see people! I feel emotional."

Tune in the BGT on 16th April at 8pm, 17th April at 7.30pm and every Saturday thereafter on ITV.

Related video

Is Amanda Holden married and does she have kids? Fans are wondering with the star set to return to screens as a judge on Series 15 of Britain's Got Talent. 

Until the iconic talent show returns on 9th April, fans can tune in to Heart FM's breakfast show which she presents alongside Jamie Theakston.

The actress and media personality often hits headlines for her glamorous outfits, diet and exercise secrets and social media antics but recently she showed her sense of humour buying Simon Cowell a pair of stabilisers for his electric bike after he had a second near-death accident.

It was rumoured she was 'set to replace' Phillip Schofield on Dancing on Ice but Stephen Mulhern was drafted in instead, and as filming wraps following 10 days of auditions for BGT, we look at Amanda's family life...

Is Amanda Holden married?

Amanda Holden is married to record producer Chris Hughes - not the Love Island star of the same name.

The couple tied the knot in 2008 at St Margaret's Church in Somerset after meeting back in 2003 when they were both in LA. But they didn't start dating until 2004.

Their wedding reception was held at Babington House - an exclusive members-only club and hotel nearby. With a winter-themed wedding, Amanda and Chris had fake snow, candles and Christmas ivy hung over the entrance to give an added festive feel.

The couple currently live in a lavish home in Richmond-Upon-Thames.

Chris, 67, is Amanda's second husband. Before marrying Chris, Amanda was married to TV presenter and comedian Les Dennis.

Amanda, 50, who first shot to fame as an actress, previously revealed that her husband isn't happy about the news headlines she often makes.

She admitted in 2016, "Much to my poor husband's dismay, I confess everything to some newspaper or other every week by accident or on Twitter, because I am chatty. I have no more secrets because of social media and life in general."

She continued, "I wear my heart on my sleeve and most people know everything about me. Obviously, there are things that are still personal that I wouldn't broadcast but mostly this is it."

When asked if she regretted anything she had said, she exclaimed, "Oh god! All the time! Every week! Every week when I sit on the naughty step because Chris puts me there."

Amanda once told The Sun about her "primal" sex life with Chris.

She spilled, "He can't keep his hands off me. I actually tell him off because I say, 'I don't want to have a kiss and a grope while I'm trying to load the dishwasher.'"

The couple regularly enjoy family holidays and Amanda previously revealed Chris almost died after choking on a piece of pasta.

Does Amanda Holden have kids?

Amanda Holden has two kids - daughters Alexa 'Lexi', 16, and 10-year-old Hollie - with husband Chris Hughes. The couple are also parents to son Theo who was stillborn at seven months and would have marked his 11th birthday this year.

Amanda always keeps the memory of her late son alive by posting tributes on her Instagram. Her latest post read, "You would have been 11 today. I’m still grateful you chose us for your journey .. #Theo ❤️."

What is Simon Cowell's relationship with Amanda Holden?

Simon Cowell is a close friend of Amanda Holden and the pair have known each other for many years.

Speaking to Attitude magazine, Amanda previously admitted, "I suppose our relationship changed from being quite flirty and fun with each other, to settling down with people we are both in love with but still having that flirty, nice behaviour."

Simon is engaged to long-term girlfriend Lauren Silverman and the couple share son Eric, seven.

Amanda went on to reveal she has strong feelings for her boss as she continued, "I absolutely bloody adore Simon. He is one of the naughtiest people I know."

"We are too involved with other people for it to ever be anything. But I have always loved him because he's really good at not giving you b*******," she added.

Britain's Got Talent returns on 9th April 2022 on ITV

Amanda Holden is 'set to replace' Phillip Schofield on Dancing On Ice this weekend.

The Heart Radio host and Britain's Got Talent judge has got TV viewers thinking that she is the celebrity hidden underneath the Panda on ITV's The Masked Singer and while viewers are yet to see if they've guessed right or not, Amanda is expected to be in talks about another TV show debut.

Amanda could be set to replace Phillip Schofield who has been missing from This Morning this week after testing positive for Covid-19 - and might miss hosting the reality ice show alongside Holly Willoughby on Sunday as he could be cutting it fine for rehearsals as he is still self-isolating.

And reports claim show bosses are considering an all-female hosting duo for the show's return.

Amanda, who is married to Chris Hughes, is in the running to host with Holly Willoughby, alongside Alison Hammond and Rochelle Humes who is also being considered for the role.

However, Alison might still be too busy celebrating her birthday weekend to take on the job.

A TV insider told The Sun, "ITV are a progressive channel that want to reflect the modern world as much as possible.

"And while Dancing on Ice’s bosses are gutted to see Phillip forced to temporarily step out of hosting duties, that also presents an opportunity to have two women front the show."

The insider continued, "Producers have seen the energy that Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have brought to Strictly and they’re curious to see how Holly bounces off another female presenter.

"But there’s no question of Phillip not returning. He’ll be chomping at the bit to get back to work."

Phillip will need to test negative on completing his five days of self-isolation in order to be back on screens.

Amanda is no stranger to presenting, she regularly hosted This Morning covering the holidays prior to Eamonn and Ruth. And recently wrapped filming 10 days of auditions for the new series of Britain's Got Talent which will air in the spring.

If you're keen to see who will win, Dancing On Ice returns to screens on ITV at 6:30pm on Sunday.

Wondering who left The Masked Dancer last night? Then look no further as we reveal the latest Masked Dancer to be eliminated.

The Masked Dancer is proving to be a bit hit with fans of The Masked Singer as the spin-off show launched on screens with new celebrities behind the masks all hoping to impress the judges with their moves.

ITV has filled a gap in its schedule after Britain's Got Talent 2021 was cancelled and replaced NTA 2021 nominated The Masked Singer with a dancing version of the show following a successful two series of the singing version.

And with a whole host of undercover celebrities to guess from, using just the clues and their signature moves, shouting at the telly has never been as popular until now! But who left The Masked Dancer last night?

Who left The Masked Dancer last night?

The Llama and the Beagle left The Masked Dancer last night in a double elimination twist. Llama was revealed to be TV and radio presenter Zoe Ball, while the Beagle was none other than Dancing On Ice judge Christopher Dean.

They both failed to impress judges with their moves and were voted off the contest last night, narrowly missing out on the semi-final.

Speaking about her time on the show, Zoe tweeted, 'BEST TIME EVER on #MaskedDancerUk in stitches in britches. Will miss my furry hoofed friend LLAMA'.

On leaving the contest, as part of her exit interview, she described her experience as, "Bonkers, brilliant, aah and unforgettable... a wonky llama explosion!"

And if you had been trying to guess along at home, here are the clues that should have given it away…

The Clues debunked:

1. "This Llama achieved a couple of firsts," Zoe was the first female solo host on Radio one and two breakfast.
2. "One had a reputation, one swears," was a clue to Zoe being warned twice about swearing on live radio.
3. The word up clue "regular" nodded towards Zoe presenting the breakfast show every morning.
4. "Getting close to musical legends" pointed towards Zoe hosting Top of the Pops.

Meanwhile, Olympic ice skating champion Christopher Dean managed to keep his identity completely revealed until the unmasking stage, with judges not even coming close to guessing he was inside the costume.

Speaking about it, Christopher, 62, said, "I did like the bit about Davina saying it looked like a 30-year-old." To which Davina said, "Yes because you are fit, have you enjoyed it?"

Chris replied, "It's been great fun, yeah, it's nice to finally be able to breathe again. I'm getting a bit older now and new challenges are always nice to take on. I'm 63 this year so, to be honest, thank you for tonight as my knees are starting to give up."

The judges were stunned at his revelation.

Christopher danced to Fly Me To the Moon as his final performance. And if you had been trying to guess along at home, here are the clues that should have given it away…

The Clues debunked:

1. The word up clue "nippy" alluded to Christopher competing in the icy cold Winter Olympics.
2. Copenhagen flight '1982' on the departure board pointed to one of his many gold medal wins.
3. The Y-fronts badge on his costume was a clue to him wearing lucky pants when competing.
4. "We knew the nation was watching" was a clue to his 24 million Brits watching his Olympic win.
5. "I've been upstaged by a comedy legend" nods to Mr Bean playing him in the comedy sketch Torvill and Bean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_RRXBizNfY

When is The Masked Dancer on?

Fans of the show can watch The Masked Dancer on ITV, each night from 7.30pm, and those who miss the show can either watch all episodes so far on the ITV hub and watch the show on catch up or tune in to ITV+1 to watch the show an hour later than the scheduled time. But be sure to steer clear of any social media channels to avoid show spoilers.

The contest started on 29th May and an episode will air every night until the final on Saturday, 5th June in which the judges will decide who to crown the winner of The Masked Dancer 2021.

Who are the Masked Dancers?

Like The Masked Singer, The Masked Dancers are all hidden away behind a giant costume in the form of an animal or an everyday object. For this debut series, there are 12 individual characters; a zip, car wash, beagle, squirrel, scarecrow, frog, beetroot, viper, rubber chicken, flamingo, knickerbocker glory, and llama.

Jordan Banjo became the first celebrity to be eliminated from the dance contest as the viper.

Louise Redknapp became the second celebrity to leave the show as she was uncovered from the flamingo costume.

Dita Von Tesse is the third star to leave the show, as she pulled off the head of her beetroot outfit.

Eddie the Eagle is the fourth star to leave the show, as he revealed himself from under the rubber chicken costume.

Christopher Dean is the fifth star to exit the contest as The Beagle and Zoe Ball was the sixth star to leave after being unmasked as the Llama in a double elimination twist.

Who are The Masked Dancer judges?

Davina McCall, Mo Gilligan, and Jonathan Ross all retaining their seats as judges and Rita Ora has been replaced by ballroom pro and double-Strictly winner Oti Mabuse.

Three of the four Masked Singer judges from series two, which saw Denise Van Outen unmasked as the Fox, have returned to sit on the Masked Dancer judging panel. Meanwhile, Mo joined The Masked Singer for series two, replacing Ken Jeong, and is sticking around for this spin-off show alongside long-standing judges Davina and Jonathan.

There are also a couple of celebrity guest judges planned for the series, including Holly Willoughby, after it was announced she had landed an exciting new job away from This Morning. She will join alongside John Bishop and David Walliams.

Tune in to The Masked Dancer, every night this week at 7.30pm on ITV.

Our sister publication Woman’s Own's columnist Richard Arnold speaks to Amanda Holden, 49, about the ‘new’ Britain’s Got Talent, her friendship with Piers Morgan, and head judge Simon Cowell’s recovery from a broken back...

How thrilled are you to be back in the BGT studio?

It feels slightly weird with the new rules in place but we are a family and it’s so amazing to be back together again, while social distancing of course! The refresher and deliberation show highlighted how strong the talent is this year so now it’s very exciting to see how they’ve all spent their time in lockdown perfecting their acts. The biggest difference is obviously having no physical audience in the studio. But we have a virtual live audience of 500 fans at home watching which has kept the show very exciting.

It must feel so different... and yet the same old magic?

Being a metre apart is frustrating because we’re an emotive judging panel and we always kiss or hug or high five. Yet we’re so comfortable with each other that there is no pretence with any of us. The laughter and tears are still there. We’re pretty much the same on screen as we are off. That’s why the panel works so well.

Read more: Amanda Holden reveals the secret behind her impressive figure

I love the bond between you and Alesha...

From the first day Alesha joined we’ve got on like a house on fire. People joke that they never hear so much laughter in one place than from the two of us. We kept in contact during lockdown. Auditions were filmed before lockdown and my youngest Hollie always gets excited when she can get to spend time with Azura [Alesha’s daughter]. When I see them both with Eric [Cowell, Simon’s son] you can’t help but think that all three of them are planning on taking our judges’ seats!

It looked like you had a great summer! Where did you go?

I always look forward to summer holidays because I love switching off and being with the family in the sunshine. Chris [Hughes, Amanda’s husband] was very nervous about flying but we had a great trip to Tresco, which is where my grandparents honeymooned 77 years ago! It’s so beautiful there, you wouldn’t think you’re still in the UK! Plus we spent a lot of time in the Cotswolds where Hollie and Lexi made their new rabbits feel at home.

We see you had an outing with Piers [Morgan] in St Tropez, how was the old devil on the tiles?

I absolutely adore him. We met for a family dinner with our friend David Coulthard and his wife in St Tropez. Our girls Elise and Hollie are the same age, so they had a wonderful afternoon while Piers and I got on the rosé! Let’s just say that shall we...

You and hubby looked so romantic! What’s your secret?

I’m careful with what I say about lockdown because everyone has had a different experience and faced different challenges. For us as a family it’s meant that we’ve spent more time together and that’s just been amazing. Chris nailed the homeschooling so that meant when I got home from breakfast radio, the girls would be more or less finished. I’ve cooked more. I’ve exercised with my girls. I’ve not been rushing out of the door or saying ‘hurry up’. We’ve reconnected as a family and it’s made me look at my work/home balance and make changes for the future. Rather than saying yes to everything I’ve now set boundaries.

How is Simon?

When I first heard about Simon I was awake all night with worry. He is a very dear friend and he hadn’t had the surgery when I was told about it. Obviously he doesn’t have a phone these days, which has worked beautifully for him, so my communication is all with gorgeous Lauren [Silverman, Simon’s partner]. Her phone must be like a call centre! But he’s doing well and the operation was a success so I’m just happy that he’s taking things easy and not putting himself under any pressure. I certainly miss the closeness of sitting next to him because Simon usually always pulls my chair closer to him as we love to discuss what’s happening on stage.

Congratulations on your NHS single. What a set of pipes you have. It was a huge success!

I was very nervous when it came out as we’d put my album on hold when lockdown first happened and I remember saying to Chris that as long as it went Top 40 I’d be over the moon. So when it was #1 on iTunes and reached #2 on The Official Top 40, I was totally blown away!

Your official debut single With You, originally from the musical Ghost, is out now…

It’s actually Simon Cowell’s favourite song, ever – I didn’t know that when I recorded it! The last lines of this song are ‘You took my life with you, Took my world with you’ and so this is for Theo, our baby who was born sleeping in an NHS hospital and for Chris, who stayed strong when I fell apart [Amanda suffered a stillbirth in 2011]. Chris told me he always thought of Theo when he heard this song, which floored me so it’s our song for Theo. Every track I picked because it means something to me and the family. I’ll be performing on Britain’s Got Talent. Luckily Simon isn’t there so the pressure is off slightly, although I’ll have to disconnect David’s buzzer because I don’t put it past him to press it for a laugh!

Britain's Got Talent 2022 starts on Saturday 16th April on ITV.

Alesha Dixon has revealed that she’s going to welcome another baby with husband Azuka Ononye, but fans were shocked with the reveal…

The singer is a judge on Britain’s Got Talent, and it was during the first live show that her baby news was shared by presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.

The duo started the show with a cabaret-style musical performance, to which they added the line: ‘And Alesha is expecting.’

The camera then panned to Alesha, who later said: ‘It’s a lovely place to celebrate it.’ Her baby bump was also visible in a tight mini black dress.

Fans of the star were clearly shocked by the reveal on live TV, and shared their reaction on social media.

One said: ‘ALESHA DIXON IS PREGNANT.’

Another added: ‘Awwwww Ant and Dec announcing Alesha Dixon’s pregnancy was so cute 😍👶🏼 #bgt.’

The former Mis-Teeq star has been in a relationship with dancer Azuka Ononye since 2012, and welcomed their first child – now five-year-old Azura Sienna - a year later.

The mum has since confessed she kept her pregnancy a secret from most people until she was six months pregnant.

She said: ‘Well, my partner knew, and my mum.

‘But I didn’t tell anyone else in the family. No one at Britain’s Got Talent knew – although they must have suspected because my dresses had to be altered every week.

‘And my boobs got huge! Everyone must have thought I’d had a boob job. I kept it a secret until I was six months pregnant.’

Speaking to Mail Online, she added: ‘Amanda Holden knew, though. She kept it a secret. She also guessed that I was pregnant. I remember her giving me a present – a little outfit – with a note saying, “If I’m wrong, forget about this”, but she wasn’t. She was right.’

The BGT star has previously confessed that she feared she was too old to have another baby.

She told You magazine last year: ‘I don't know whether it will happen given my age but I adore the idea of a large family and I hope I will be lucky.

‘The love I feel for Azura is so pure and unconditional. The main thing is to enjoy her in the present and be philosophical about the future, because what will be will be.’

Declan Donnelly has opened up about his sex life with wife Ali Astall now that they are parents.

The TV presenter, who is one half of iconic entertainment duo Ant and Dec, welcomed his first child with wife Ali Astall back in September.

And now the comedian has made a cheeky confession about his sex life with his wife of four years since they became parents back in the autumn.

Unlike other new parents who are kept up all night by their newborn crying baby, these new parents are apparently up all night getting up to something quite different…

It seems that the ITV funny-man and his wife have been getting ‘back to a bit of nookie’ since they became parents to seven-month-old Isla.

The ITV host’s Britain’s Got Talent co-star Stephen Mulhern told The Sun about the cheeky comment the new dad made when they were having a personal chat.

‘I was asking him questions: ‘Have you changed the nappy yet? How long before you get back to a bit of nookie?’’ said the Britain’s Got More Talent presenter.

‘Do you know what he said to that?’ he continued. ‘‘As soon as possible — you’ve got to get back on the game straight away!’’

Stephen also confessed that Ant was desperate for his best friend to bring the adorable baby into work.

He said that Ant told him: ‘Dec said ‘I can’t bring her to work.’’

‘But I’ve twisted his arm. The whole world of showbiz was overjoyed — I know how much Isla means to him.’

The proud dad took to social media to announce the arrival of his baby girl baby in September.

Writing on the antanddec Twitter account, Dec shared a photo of his new arrival holding his finger with the caption: ‘Ali and I are thrilled to announce the arrival of our baby girl, Isla Elizabeth Anne, who was born just after 9 o’clock this morning. Mother and daughter both doing well, Dad is head over heels! D x’

Music industry mogul and talent show judge Simon Cowell has shared a different side to his usually stern exterior, in a new heartbreaking revelation about the huge impact losing both of his parents had on his life.

X Factor and Britain's Got Talent mastermind Simon lost his mother Julie in 2015 when she died at the age of 89.

Described as the 'most beloved person' in Simon's life, her loss had a profound effect on the star. He cancelled X Factor auditions due to take place in the days after her death, and was visibility shaken and upset when he eventually returned to work in the public eye.

The loss of Simon's mother came 16 years after his father died of a heart attack at the age of 81 – a day that the talent show judge called 'the worst day of my life'.

Now the Daily Star has reported that Simon has revealed that he still struggles with being an orphan, and misses his parents dearly, admitting that he still turns to his parents for advice and for counsel.

'I still talk to my mum and my dad in my mind now if I am having a difficult decision or I am struggling with something,' Simon revealed.

'I have a mental conversation with the both of them and I absolutely know what the answer is - it is the weirdest thing.'

The 58-year-old now has a son of his own, Eric, who was just one when his grandmother passed away and is named after Simon's late father - Eric Cowell.

Born in 2014, Eric is now three-years-old and growing up to be more and more like his father every day, with Simon admitted he's already teaching Eric important life lessons – just as his father did for him.

'Because he was successful, my dad, when he ran his company - he said everybody around you has an invisible sign on their head which says "make me important",' Simon told Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan in 2015.

'What I understood from that is that you've got to recognise that everyone around you wants to be recognised, wants to be appreciated.'

ITV's biggest talent show, Britain's Got Talent, has been running for almost a decade now! We can't believe it either...

With humble beginnings back in 2007, in the heyday of The X Factor, everyone wondered 'Why another talent show?'.

The start date for BGT 2022 has been announced, but since the show started, so many of our most-loved musical and talent acts today made their first public appearance on the BGT stage.

And with the hilarious judging panel, made up of so many famous faces over the years - including Piers Morgan, David Hasselhoff, Kelly Brook (yes we forgot Kelly too!) and David Walliams - we hope it never ends!

In honour of it (almost!) being BGT's 10th birthday, we decided to look back at all the best acts and see where they are now:

1. Perri Kiely from Diversity

Image: Instagram/Jordan Banjo How could anyone forget the loveable Perri, who was the star of the Diversity dance troope in the 2008 series of BGT? He's certainly looking different now, but he's still using his dance moves to bring him success.

Straight after the show, Perri went on to tour nationwide, then appeared in films such as the successful Streetdance franchise.

In 2014, Perri won the second series of Splash! and he has done lots of TV presenting and hosting, including Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. It was announced that he will be hosting the ceremony for 2016 as well.

2. Connie Talbot

Connie instantly won over both the judges and the public with her irresitable charm and fantastic voice. After BGT finished, Connie was expected to sign a contract with Sony but the label pulled out of the deal due to her age at the time. Piers Morgan later said that Connie's entry to the talent contest was why others such as Faryl and George Sampson went on to enter.

Since leaving the show Connie has gained most fame and notoriety in the Far East, becoming a YouTube singing sensation in Asia with over 380 million views on her videos. In 2010, at only 10 years old, she opened a concert to celebrate the G20 summit of world leaders in South Korea.

Connie later performed to her largest-ever audience on Chinese state TV during the 2011 Chinese New Year, and was described as an 'icon' in those countries. Connie is still making albums and releasing music.

3. Megan McKenna

You probably recognise Megan from reality shows Celebrity Big Brother and The Only Way is Essex, but if you cast your mind back to 2009, you'll recall that she actually started her career on BGT as one half of girl group Harmony, with schoolfriend Demi. Here's their first audition to refresh your memory...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt9w1_w7TCE

The girls made it all the way to the live finals, but sadly didn't win a place at the Royal Variety. Nowadays, she's juggling her TV work with a relationship with TOWIE co-star Pete Wicks.

4. Aidan Davis

Image: Aidan Davis/Instagram Do you remember this little chap from the 2009 series of Britain's Got Talent?

Back then adorable Aidan wowed the judges, the audience and the viewers at home with his complicated dance moves to accompany Flo Rida's song Low. He finished fifth in the series that brought us Susan Boyle and Diversity.

Fast forward seven years and it looks like Aidan is all grown up, and, dare we say it... the 18-year-old is really quite good looking! On Aidan's Instagram the reality TV star reveals that he's now working on music so we suppose there's nothing left to do other than watch this space!

5. Ronan Parke

Image: Ronan Parke/Instagram Ronan was just a baby-faced 12-year-old when he auditioned for Britain's Got Talent in 2011. At the time he stunned the 2500 people in the audience with a near-perfect rendition of Feeling Good and even had a standing ovation from the judges!

He only just missed out on the winner's spot, if you remember, to Jai MCdowall.

Now he's 17 and doesn't he look great? He's certainly a stylish chap. Ronan has a huge social media following who call themselves 'Ronanators'. The young singer has been concentrating on his music since his time on the show.

6. Faryl Smith

Unlike many other finalists Faryl did not sign a deal with Simon Cowell's record label at the end of the show, and instead signed a £2.3 million deal with Universal Records - reportedly the largest ever for a schoolgirl!

Faryl released her first album in March 2009 and then another in November 2009 - saying that she was 'surprised but pleased' they wanted to do another so quickly. She is still performing publicly and even sang a concert at Wembley in 2015!

7. Shaheen Jafargholi

Shaheen is back on our screens after a seven year break, since he first appeared on the ITV talent show in 2009.

Now Shaheen is on BBC One appearing in EastEnders, as new character Shaki. The 19 year old will be in the soap for the near future, but producers have not confirmed exactly how many episodes viewers should expect.

Since BGT Shaheen also had the honour of performing at Michael Jackson's memorial service, after the pop legend invited him on his tour, but sadly he died before it could happen.

8. Hollie Steel

We barely recognised Hollie Steel seven years on from her first Britain's Got Talent audition - hasn't she grown up fast?! The then-10-year-old singer first took to the stage in 2009 dressed as most little girls - in her favourite ballerina outfit. However, her operatic voice was well beyond her years.

But Hollie prompted serious questions about having children in talent shows after she later broke down on stage, forgetting her words and having to be comforted by Amanda Holden.

It didn't hold her back though, as she made it to the final to finish third behind Diversity and Susan Boyle.

Since leaving the show Hollie has continued to sing and released an album in 2010 under the moniker 'Hollie Steel Music'. The teen now performs popular YouTube covers of pop songs including Justin Bieber and Whitney Houston.

9. Paul Potts

Paul Potts was the original star of Britain's Got Talent - the face that put the TV show on the map. As the winner of the first ever series, back in 2007, Paul was a classic case of underdog turned singing sensation.

You might remember that before auditioning for BGT Paul was a manager at The Carphone Warehouse shop in Bridgend, Wales. After his success he performed in front of Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Variety Show and went on to claim the number one spot in the UK Album Chart with his debut record One Chance.

Fast forward to 2016 and Paul's life has been adapted into a film, which stars comedian James Corden as the lead role. Not bad for a phone salesman!

10. George Sampson

Everyone remembers George Sampson - the cheeky chappy who won the second series of Britain's Got Talent in May 2008 at the tender age of 14. With his amazing dance moves to Mint Royale's 'Singin' in the Rain', which shot to number one in the UK in the subsequent weeks, the public were won over.

George is now 22 years old and has moved away from dancing and into acting - joining the cast of Waterloo Road in 2011 for a couple of series. We will be seeing much more of George on our screens as he has now made the move back to ITV to star in Emmerdale starting in January 2016.

11. Stavros Flatley

How could anyone forget about Stavros Flatley? The Greek father-son duo consisting of 45-year-old Demetrios and his son Michalakis 'Lagi' Andreas - who is now 16 years old! Before the show they owned a Greek restaurant where Demetrios would entertain guests with his impressive dancing.

While the pair did perform on the Royal Variety Show in 2012 and have kept up their dancing off-screen, they haven't really stayed in the spotlight and just dance for private events, weddings, festivals and charity functions.

12. Rosie O'Sullivan

Since her appearance on BGT in 2013 Rosie has made the biggest transformation out of all our BGT stars - shedding an impressive 16 STONE in weight after undergoing serious weight-loss surgery.

Rosie from the West Midlands, who worked in Co-op, was praised by the judges for her beautiful voice and went through to the semi-finals of the competition.

But doctors were worried about her unhealthy BMI and the effect on her health so Rosie made the decision to undergo a life-changing operation. She had a had a gastric sleeve fitted at Spire Little Aston hospital because she admitted diets had never worked for her. She now weighs 13 stone and has a healthy BMI.

Rosie is now studying part-time at the London College of Music.

13. Charlie Wernham

You may remember Charlie as the pint-sized comedian from the 2008 series of BGT? Although all the judges agreed his jokes were terrible - he got resounding 'yes' votes from everyone. Starting his comedy routine at the age of eight (with a little help from his dad) it was no surprise that Charlie went on to make a career out of it.

Since leaving BGT he has made frequent appearances in shows such as E4's Inbetweeners and School of Comedy. He is now 21 and stars in Jack Whitehall's Bad Education, as well as playing troublemaker Robbie Roscoe in Hollyoaks.

14. Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle is easily the most recognisable face from the decade-long series of Britain's Got Talent - the Scottish singer who silenced the crowds at her audition with her rendition of 'I dreamed a dream' from Les Miserables.

Towards the end of the show, Susan struggled to cope with her overnight fame and returned to her house in Blackburn to live with her two cats. In October 2014 she released her sixth album, Hope. The album spent 35 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.

Since the 2014 release she has not made any more music but Fox bought life rights to Susan Boyle along with rights to the musical I Dreamed a Dream. A biopic film (similar to Paul Potts) is also in the pipeline.

15. Molly Rainford

Molly Rainford was just 11 when she competed on Britain's Got Talent in 2009.

She wowed the judges with her rendition of One Night Only at the time, but was beaten to the winning spot by dancing duo Ashleigh and Pudsey.

Being knocked out of the finals didn't stop this little pop princess though, as she was snapped up by Sony who are currently funding her training at Sylvia Young Theatre School in London. She's in good company, a whole host of celebs have trained at the famous school, including Rita Ora and Billie Piper.

Despite the fact that she's still studying Molly has a busy professional life too. She currently presents CBBC show the Friday Download and releases songs on her social media channels during her 'spare time', with plans to launch her music career full time after she completes her GCSEs.

She has since been confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2022.

16. Michael Collings

Michael wowed everyone with his cover of Tracy Chapman's 'Fast Car' back in 2011. With his amazing acoustic guitar solo, he was an obvious talent and came fifth with 7.7% of the nation's votes. He went on the BGT nationwide tour after the show ended.

In 2013 he made an appeal for funds to record an album as he still had not been signed by a record label. He remarked that he entered the show to get a better life for his son, but after the show ended he said the pressure on his relationships meant he wouldn't do it again if offered the chance.

Michael has so far released one EP 'It's not you' and it's available for download on iTunes. His original audition has over 30 million views on YouTube.

17. Ashleigh and Pudsey

Ashleigh and Pudsey were the first animal act to win the ITV competition - winning over even Simon Cowell who said Pudsey was the 'best dancing dog' he had ever seen!

Since winning the show, the pair have performed at the Royal Variety Show in front of her majesty, and again at Diamond Jubilee celebrations. In September 2012, Ashleigh and Pudsey were guest judges on ITV2's Top Dog Model.

In January 2013, it was announced that Simon Cowell would produce Pudsey: The Movie with the role of Pudsey voiced by David Walliams. Top dog!

Who is your favourite Britain's Got Talent star? Leave us a comment in the box below!