Britain’s Got Talent is a ratings winner and the format has become a global phenomenon... and now it’s back

BRITAIN’S Got Talent and ITV has a format that pays off in the ratings. The Britain’s Got Talent marathon is about to begin, kicking off tomorrow night as the judges pick their favourite 45 qualifying acts to go through the live studio semi-finals.

There are five semi-finals – Monday to Saturday (not Wednesday), 7.30pm, with the results show at 9.30pm. Two acts from each semi go head-to-head in the live grand final. That’s when judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams lose their power with the public voting for the winner whose prize is an appearance on the Royal Variety Performance.

The undeniably talented Ant and Dec will be there to cheer the winners and console the losers.

Meanwhile, here’s some talented facts: 􀁧 Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) was the highest rating entertainment series on British television last year.

􀁧 The Got Talent format has been sold to 56 territories globally, launching in nine new territories in 2012 alone. More than 500 million viewers have watched the Got Talent format worldwide since it first launched in 2006.

􀁧 BGT was named Best Talent Show at the TV Choice Awards in September.

􀁧 The show’s YouTube channel recently smashed the billion views barrier, making it the most watched YouTube channel for a British television series ever.

􀁧 Got Talent remains the world’s top entertainment format, featuring on more top ten lists around the world than any other show.

􀁧 Due to Ashley and Pudsey winning last year there has been an influx of animals auditioning.

This year’s acts included a donkey (chaperoned by two other donkeys), a raccoon and numerous dogs.

􀁧 Since winning the show last year, Pudsey has flown on Simon Cowell’s private jet, sailed on the Queen Mary 2, danced the conga with Kim Kardashian and Alan Carr and appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He has already released his own ‘AutobiDOGgraphy’ and begins filming his first movie later this year.

􀁧 Series one winner Paul Potts’ debut album outsold the entire top ten collectively in its first week on sale. Simon Cowell is exec producing a film centred around Paul’s remarkable success story, with James Corden playing the lead role.

􀁧 Series three winners Diversity have become household names, having completed two sell-out UK arena tours and appeared in films.

􀁧 Ted Hall is BGT’s oldest ever contestant. He was 92 when he performed with his granddaughter, Grace, in series five.

􀁧 Susan Boyle’s 2009 audition video accumulated over 120 million YouTube views before the end of the year making it the most watched video of the 2009. She has now had more than 500 million YouTube views and sold over 18 million albums worldwide, topping over 30 charts across the globe.