Paul Potts, the inaugural winner of Britain's Got Talent in 2007, has called for changes to the ITV show's format to ensure its survival. The 55-year-old singer expressed concerns about international acts who have already reached semi-finals in other Got Talent franchises competing in the UK version.
Speaking to Sky Vegas, Potts said he has 'no problem' with overseas performers but argued that contestants who have already made a Got Talent final elsewhere should not be allowed to compete in another regular series. 'Otherwise, it just becomes the same people endlessly auditioning across the franchise,' he warned.
Potts suggested that the show should return to holding auditions in multiple cities across the UK to discover more homegrown talent. He also criticised the use of novelty acts as semi-finalists, stating it is 'disrespectful' to contestants with a realistic chance of winning.
The singer further proposed changes to the judging panel, suggesting the addition of former judge Piers Morgan to avoid deadlock situations. He also questioned the effectiveness of the Golden Buzzer in the semi-finals.
Britain's Got Talent continues Saturday, 23rd May at 7pm on ITV1.
