The inaugural winner of Britain's Got Talent, Paul Potts, has voiced concerns about the ITV show's current format, insisting it must evolve to remain relevant. The 55-year-old singer, who won the first series in 2007, specifically criticised the participation of international acts that have already progressed to semi-finals in other Got Talent franchises.
International Acts and Fairness
Speaking exclusively to Sky Vegas, Potts stated he has "no problem" with overseas performers, noting that British talent has also succeeded on America's Got Talent, such as ventriloquist Paul Zerdin. However, he argued: "But I don't think people who've already made a Got Talent final anywhere in the world should then be allowed to compete in another regular Got Talent series. Otherwise, it just becomes the same people endlessly auditioning across the franchise."
He proposed a limit: "For me, if somebody has already reached a live semi-final, they should maybe get one more shot and that's it. It's not just meant for amateurs and complete novices. Professionals can absolutely compete, but it can't just become a revolving door of career talent show contestants."
Call for Regional Auditions
Potts also urged the programme to return to its roots by holding auditions across the UK. "The format of Britain's Got Talent needs to adapt," he said. "I think they need to start going around the country again like they used to instead of concentrating everything into one or two locations. Go out to seven or eight cities and really search for more homegrown talent. That would encourage more people from around the UK to audition."
Focus on Quality, Not Novelty
He emphasised that the live shows should prioritise quality: "They also need to focus purely on quality once it gets to the semi-finals and finals. Bring novelty acts back to perform in the live shows for entertainment, but don't have them there as actual semi-finalists because it feels a little disrespectful to the contestants who genuinely have a realistic chance of winning."
Judging Panel and Golden Buzzer
Potts suggested that the Golden Buzzer is ineffective in the semi-finals and proposed changes to the judging panel. "I think it's good to have diversity on the panel. KSI brings energy, and I don't think there's really anything wrong with the judging panel itself. The issue for me is more about the structure - you either need one more judge or one fewer judge, so you don't keep ending up in deadlock situations."
He added: "If they were going to add another judge, I'd say bring Piers Morgan back. I'm sure he'd shake things up a bit. I'm not sure he'd do it again, but it would certainly make things interesting."
Britain's Got Talent continues Saturday, 23rd May at 7pm on ITV1.
