Former Britain's Got Talent champion Paul Potts has shared his thoughts ahead of the 2026 final, revealing that singer Matty Juniosa is the strongest contender to win the competition.
Paul Potts Backs Matty Juniosa
Opera singer Paul Potts, 55, who won the first series of ITV's Britain's Got Talent in 2007 with his performance of Nessun dorma, an aria from Puccini's opera Turandot, has weighed in on this year's finalists. At the time of his audition, Potts was working as a mobile phone salesman, but he wowed the judges and viewers at home to become the first ever champion of the show.
Speaking to Ready10, Potts insisted that Matty Juniosa, who received the golden buzzer during the semi-finals, is his favourite to win. Matty joins a diverse lineup of finalists, including dog act Anastasiia and Salsa, dance group LMA, magician Fabian Fox, fire juggler Liwei Yang, comedian Ted Hill, poet Sonny Green, magician Rafferty Coope, drone art Celestial, and choir The Hawkstone Farmers Choir.
Potts' Predictions
Potts said: "Matty Juniosa is the favourite for me. He's the one everybody else must beat. The magicians have a chance if they don't divide the vote between themselves, and Hawkstone Farmers Choir could also place highly depending on public support." He added that the poet who performed about his son was very moving, though some viewers may find it slightly manipulative or preachy.
The opera singer also commented on the changing dynamics of the show, noting that being a singer was once seen as an advantage but that the show has become more focused on magicians in recent years. "They also get much longer performances - often close to 10 minutes - while singers might only get two and a half or three minutes if they're lucky," he said. "I also don't think the singers this year have been given the strongest production support. That's one reason only two singing acts made the final. The production values around some performances haven't been as good as they could have been. Matty stands out because his vocals are strong enough to cut through regardless."
Sharing his final predictions, Potts said: "I think it'll ultimately come down to two or three acts - probably one of the magicians, Matty, and possibly Hawkstone Farmers Choir."
Britain's Got Talent: The Final airs tonight at 7pm on ITV and ITV X.
