Ant McPartlin is back on Britain’s Got Talent alongside his co-host Declan Donnelly, yet the ITV show has given him an unexpected moniker. Britain’s Got Talent is set to return this Saturday, February 22 at 7pm, marking its 18th season with Ant and Dec at the helm once again. Since its debut in 2007, the competition has become a global sensation, amassing millions of streams on ITVX and earning Ant and Dec international recognition, often from fans who’ve caught snippets of the program on social media. “They always ask, ‘do you definitely not know what’s coming next and whether an act is good or not? ’. But we genuinely don’t,” Declan Donnelly reveals. “We don’t like to know about the surprises, we want to be surprised too.” Ant McPartlin shares a memorable fan moment from Dubai: “I got stopped in a shopping mall by a fan who called me Susan Boyle Boy, because he recognised me from a clip,” he recounts. “I’ve been stopped in Australia, Abu Dhabi, the Caribbean, America. Everywhere we go we get recognised because of Britain’s Got Talent.”
Ant McPartlin’s Britain’s Got Talent fame earned him a surprising nickname from a fan in Dubai
(Image: ITV)
The dynamic duo takes immense pride in the show’s knack for discovering stars. “We’re always very proud of the acts that go on and achieve success,” Dec comments. “It’s a testament to the show and to the British public who took time to vote for the acts, recognised their talent and propelled them to stardom.” Last year’s BGT champ Sydnie Christmas wowed audiences and earned a Golden Buzzer with her heartfelt performance of “Tomorrow” from the beloved musical Annie, ultimately clinching the title with 27.2% of the public vote. Now, the Gravesend native is prepping for her My Way Tour, riding high on the back of a £250k cash prize, a show-stopping gig at the Royal Variety Performance, and her debut album release. The judging panel welcomes back Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, and Bruno Tonioli. But there’s an extra buzz this time around as Ant and Dec introduce a special guest judge – none other than YouTube megastar KSI, 32. Stepping in for Bruno while he’s off filming Dancing With The Stars in the US, KSI joins the BGT auditions with a fresh perspective. “He judged in a way that no judge has ever looked at the acts before,” Dec enthuses. “He brought energy, enthusiasm and a really interesting viewpoint. He looked at whether acts would work online and go viral.” This season’s auditions took place at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, where the audience made their voices heard loud and clear. “They’ve been very vocal,” Ant reveals, “They really get behind the acts and they’re not afraid to have a go at the judges if they don’t agree with what they say. They’ve been like a fifth judge.” BGT is known for its live semi-finals, traditionally aired consecutively over a thrilling week. However, this year, the show is mixing it up by switching to a weekly format. In a bit of behind-the-scenes gossip, it seems Simon Cowell really put his neck on the line for the new BGT series. Things got a little too thrilling, as Ant spilled the beans: “There’s a lot of danger this year,” he revealed, adding, “There was a moment this year where we were scared for Simon’s life. It was all a bit scary! ”
