BRITAIN’S Got Talent has been a favourite amongst fans since it burst onto our TV screens in 2007.
But the ITV show wouldn’t be the same without the four charismatic judges who put the contestants through their paces.
Who are the Britain’s Got Talent judges?
Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell is the staple of Britain’s Got Talent and resumes his role as head judge.
The mogul is one of the most iconic figures in music and is responsible for offsetting the careers of many performers around the world.
Simon’s production company SyCo is also the team behind the show, so it’s always guaranteed he will be on the judging panel.
Speaking about why BGT continues to be a success, he told The Sun: “I always thought, if we can get three or four years out of this, it’ll be amazing.
“Then you reach ten years and you think, that’s a real milestone.
“Now so many people come from all over the world to compete.”
The mogul went on: “It’s not just about winning the show, it’s about having that viral moment, which can literally change your life overnight.
“I think that’s why people are going to come back year after year after year and keep competing and getting better.
“That’s what I’m seeing – the acts are actually, thank god, actually getting better.
“I think Britain’s Got Talent is going to be here for a long, long time. I really do.”
Thanks to Simon’s talent show’s like American Idol and The X Factor, we have stars like Kelly Clarkson and One Direction.
Away from the limelight and after years of having a string of different beauties on his arm, Simon has finally settled down.
The megastar is in a relationship with Lauren Silverman and they welcomed their son Eric Cowell in 2014.
Simon always says I’m like a competition winner, but I think I just still have an actor’s mentality that you never know when your next job is, so you make the most of the moment
Amanda Holden
The youngster can often be seen at BGT auditions and has been called dad Simon’s “lookalike” son many times.
The family live a VERY comfortable lifestyle with homes all around the world.
Amongst their impressive portfolio they have a huge £18M London property, as well as their Beverley Hills mansion.
Amanda Holden
Amanda Holden has been a judge on Britain’s Got Talent since it first started in 2007.
The sexy star is a firm fixture on the judging panel, which has helped her to become a household name.
Amanda is best known for her bold outfits and witty comments.
Despite her racy dresses often getting Ofcom complaints, the style icon previously told The Sun why head judge Simon would never fire her.
Amanda told us: “Simon always says I’m like a competition winner, but I think I just still have an actor’s mentality that you never know when your next job is, so you make the most of the moment.”
When she’s not busy with BGT, she co-hosts the Heart Radio Breakfast Show with Jamie Theakston on weekday mornings.
Amanda has two daughters – Lexi and Hollie– with her husband Chris Hughes, who she married in 2008.
The radio star is well known for her slim figure, and can often be found posting enviable bikini selfies.
Thanks to her good work ethic, and also her killer body, she has launched a lucrative fashion career.
Amanda works with big brands including fashion retailer Lipsy, which reportedly makes her more than £1million a year.
She has also made cash from selling her homeware range on TV shopping channel QVC.
Amanda’s daughter Lexi is also pursuing a career in modelling, after she bagged a top contract.
Back in 2022, the teenager was snapped up by Storm who helped make legendary British fashion model Kate Moss a star.
Alesha Dixon
Alesha Dixon is back to judge the new series of Britain’s Got Talent.
The TV star joined the panel back in 2012 and quickly became a fan favourite.
Alesha rose to fame in the early 2000s as a member of the R&B group Mis-Teeq, alongside Sabrina Washington and Su-Elise Nash.
Their first album Lickin’ On Both Sides went platinum in 2001, while single All I Want reached No2 in the UK charts.
In 2003 they released their most famous single, Scandalous.
It reached No2 in the UK and entered the top 10 in Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Denmark.
After the show disbanded, Alesha turned her attention to TV work and won Strictly in 2007.
This led to her becoming a judge on the show from 2009 to 2011.
Alesha left Strictly to join Britain’s Got Talent, and she has been there ever since.
Bruno Tonioli
Last but not least we have the fabulous Bruno Tonioli.
After leaving Strictly, he decided to move over to ITV and is the newest BGT judge after replacing David Walliams.
Bruno has a long career in entertainment and is also a judge on Dancing With The Stars.
He is a well respected dancer and choreographer, who has worked with some of the biggest name in the entertainment industry.
This has included Michael Jackson, Elton John and Freddie Mercury.
In Bruno’s early career in the 80s worked as a choreographer for music videos, stage shows and tours for Tina Turner, Sting, the Rolling Stones, Dead Or Alive and Duran Duran, among others.
Who hosts Britain’s Got Talent?
Since the show started in 2007, telly favourites Ant and Dec have hosted BGT.
The Geordie duo have enjoyed a lucrative career after meeting each other on the set of iconic 90s kids TV show, Byker Grove.
The boys then briefly launched a pop career, and had a huge hit with Let’s Get Ready To Rhumble.
After this they forged a career in TV where everything they have touched has turned to gold.
Ant and Dec’s biggest TV shows include Saturday Night Takeaway, I’m A Celebrity, and Saturday morning kids show, SM:TV Live.
How to watch Britain’s Got Talent 2024
Britain’s Got Talent kicked off on April 20, 2024 on ITV.
Episodes air every week on Saturdays at 7.30pm and Sundays at 7.40pm.
The prize for winning BGT includes £250K and the chance to perform at the Royal Variety Performance.
Timeline of BGT winners
Britain's Got Talent has been thrilling fans since it burst onto the scene in 2007.
Here we take a look at all the BGT winners– from the first ever one to the most recent:
2007: Paul Potts– The first ever winner of BGT was opera singer Paul Potts. He saw off competition from Connie Talbot, The Bar Wizards, Bessie Cursors, Damon Scott and Kombat Breakers to win.
2008: George Sampson – In series two of Britain’s Got Talent a young George Sampson wowed judges and viewers with his impressive dance moves.
2009: Diversity– Dance troupe Diversity scooped the BGT crown and beat of competition from singer Susan Boyle, who was strongly tipped to win the show.
2010 – Spellbound: Gymnastic troupe Spellbound really impressed judge Simon Cowell with their stunning routines and incredible stunts in 2010. At the time, the music mogul said: “I can only say on live television that was one of the most astonishing things I have ever seen.”
2011 – Jai McDowall: Viewers were stunned when Jai McDowall won the show in 2011, as young singer Ronan Parke was the favourite to win the series.
2012 – Ashleigh and Pudsy: Ashleigh Butler and her adorable pooch Pudsey stole hearts when they performed in series six of the talent show.
2013 – Attraction: Hungarian shadow artist group Attraction won the seventh series of Britain’s Got Talent. The squad had taken part in the German version of BGT in 2012, however, they had only placed seventh.
2014 – Collabro: Classical music band Collabro faced tough competition in the 2014 final as all the finalist were singers, but they went on to scoop the crown.
2015 – Jules O’Dwyer & Matisse: Dog lovers everywhere could’t get enough of Jules O’Dwyer and pet pup Matisse. The impressive duo even performed on a tightrope to secure their win.
2016 – Richard Jones: Army man Richard Jones became the first magician in the show’s history to win Britain’s Got Talent.
2017 – Tokio Myers: Pianist Tokio Myers impressed the judges with his blend of classical and electronic music.
2018 – Lost Voice Guy: Stand-up comedian Lost Voice Guy, who performs with a speech synthesiser, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was six months old. However, he defied the odds and is a BGT champ.
2019 – Colin Thackery: Veteran army officer Colin Thackery warmed the nations hearts with his singing voice. He was crowned winner of BGT after singing Michael Ball’s Love Changes Everything.
2020 – Jon Courtenay: Singer and pianist Jon Courtenay was Ant and Dec’s Golden Buzzer act. After he won the £250,000 prize he said: “”Just amazing, I can’t believe it.”
2022 – Axel Blake: Comedian Axel Blake scooped the crown after the show was off air for two years during Covid.
2023 – Viggo Venn: The reigning BGT champ is comedian Viggo Venn.