Having children has made the Britain's Got Talent judges "more sensitive" during auditions for the ITV show, David Walliams has said. As the show returns with a double bill tomorrow (Saturday, April 16) and Sunday, Walliams admitted being parents made the judges particularly keen to see child performers do well.
The comedian and children's author said: “I think having kids definitely changes you. I think Amanda (Holden) was the only person who was a parent before. We’ve all got children now, I think that obviously makes us probably a bit more sensitive.
“Especially when kids come on and perform, obviously we are absolutely rooting for them thinking, ‘God, that could be our child out there.'"
This is the 10th year the current judging panel – featuring Simon Cowell and Alesha Dixon alongside Walliams and Holden - has been together for BGT. The scheduled 15th series of the show, hosted by Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, was cancelled last year because of the pandemic.
Music mogul Cowell said he did not like taking the show off the air for the whole of 2021 but added it made the judges “more excited” to come back with a live audience. He added: "All the things we (previously) took for granted. I think it felt special, different, this year."
Dixon said it clearly meant “more than ever” to the contestants to be back on stage performing after not being able to for so long. The singer said: “It was a very emotional series. Everyone was just so happy to be there and to have the live audience. I think it was a real celebration.”
The series will feature new additions this year, including family members of the auditionees sitting behind the judges.
Holden said it was “amazing” to hear what they were thinking while their loved ones were performing, but admitted it was difficult when the act was “actually terrible”. Golden Moments have also been introduced, which will see each judge surprise an unsuspecting act, nominated without their knowledge, and invite them to audition at the London Palladium.
McPartlin said the vibe of this series was “one of gratitude, gratitude from us that the acts are back and gratitude from the acts to be able to perform on stage again”. He added: “Because people haven’t worked for so long. In our industry, a lot of, especially performers and singers, didn’t have anywhere to perform, they couldn’t work during the pandemic.
“We had acts that would never have normally done the show before come down to audition, and acts who would’ve done BGT have had two years to really work on their act, so that the talent was really strong.”
Britain’s Got Talent launches tomorrow at 8pm and continues on Sunday at 7.35pm on ITV.
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