Some ideas for BGT to claw back viewers...
The most recent series (series 19; 2026) averaged 4.4 million viewers across its run, averaging 5.5 million for 2025. I'd argue BGT is a show that's easily capable of averaging 6 million viewers, but the show has undergone too many unnecessary changes and certain aspects are starting to feel a bit dated.
Here are some ideas for a shake-up:
- An all-new judging panel - Ant & Dec can stay for now, but an all new panel of judges is needed imo. Amanda and Simon are BGT dinosaurs as far as I'm concerned and Alesha has been on for 14 series which isn't actually far off the two above. As for KSI, I'd say he was brought in to appeal to the younger crowd/bring in a new demographic of viewers, but he's failed on that spectrum and, also, he seems a bit one-dimensional with his judging, rarely offering anything of substance to his critiques. I'll nominate Alan Carr as one judge (why he didn't replace David instead of Bruno is a mystery), Jeremy Clarkson as another (witty, no nonsense judging persona) and two wildcard female judges to accompany them. A role model Got Talent judge, whilst somewhat controversial outside of judging, was Howard Stern (AGT; 2012-15).
- Bring back the stripped live shows - just because the lack of Takeaway means the schedules allow for weekly live shows doesn't mean they're a legal obligation for the producers/ITV schedulers. The stripped live shows have more of an 'event television' feel to them and keeps a degree of momentum from the Auditions that has been lost since the live shows went weekly.
- Ditch the Golden Buzzer - for Auditions and live shows. Back in its early years, the GB seemed authentic and, particularly with David, it seemed the judges would press it for an act they genuinely awed and were rooting for. Now, it just seems an excuse to create viral moments and guarantee YouTube clicks (believe me, 'Golden Buzzer' seems something of a buzzterm on any given Got Talent channel). My suspicions are further heightened with its inclusion in the live shows - this feature to them got rid of the judges' choice which was genuinely quite exciting at times. The GB also puts its recipients on a pedestal.
- Shut the audience up - this isn't too much of an issue during the Auditions, but more so in the Live Shows, wherein the editors can't be as liberal with reducing crowd noise and, thus, you can barely hear the judges. It's like a chaotic school classroom, honestly.
- Ditch the recycled judges' reactions - again, no one cares about the same facial expression from Cowell being shown for the fourth time during the Auditions stage, for the fourth different act. You can maybe get away with it for singers or acts like intimate magic in which the judges often play an active role, but for dance acts/anything with a strong visual element and lack of judge input, it is so frustrating.
- Introduce a middle round - one that isn't just Judges' Deliberations. 'Judge Cuts' on AGT (2015-19) worked really well. You'd have 80 acts who passed the Auditions, split into four pre-recorded shows of 20 acts. 9 would pass each show (in the context of BGT) to create 36/40 for the semis, with the judges then choosing one Wildcard act each. Of course, four shows of this might drag, particularly if it is one per weekend, so one big show or a Saturday/Sunday double bill might be useful. A Middle Round also helps weed out the one-hit wonders/acts that the judges put through for a laugh.
- A new airing period? - 'The Masked Singer' seems to be rating lower and lower each year and I can't see it gaining viewers back - the gimmick is tired. I can't see the show still airing post 2030, shall we say, so why not air BGT in that eight-week timeslot. Something like this could work:
- Week 1 (Auditions 1)
- Week 2 (Auditions 2)
- Week 3 (Auditions 3)
- Week 4 (Auditions 4)
- Week 5 (Auditions 5)
- Week 6 (Auditions 6 + 7 - double bill)
- Week 7 (Middle Round - double bill)
Week's break
- Week 8 (stripped live shows M-F; final on the Sunday).
u/Major-Feed5214 — 16 hours ago