Britain’s Got Talent delayed indefinitely by coronavirus

ITV hit typically begins in April

The next series of Britain’s Got Talent has been delayed indefinitely due to the rise in UK coronavirus cases.

An ITV spokesperson confirmed that the proposed late January start for filming has been scrapped, along with the show’s typical April launch.

In a statement, the broadcaster said: “With the announcement of the latest government health guidelines and with our priority of safeguarding the well-being of everyone involved in our programmes we, together with the production teams at Thames and Syco, have taken the decision to move the record and broadcast of the forthcoming series.”

ITV said they will announce revised dates in due course.

Britain’s Got Talent typically features acts from not only all around the UK, but also overseas. Auditions take place at different cities around the country, while its live shows are filmed in London. Even with coronavirus protocols in place, it would have been difficult for filming to go ahead considering the extent of the pandemic.

The last series of BGT, broadcast in 2020, was cut in half due to the pandemic. Audition episodes, which had been filmed prior to the first lockdown, were broadcast between April and May. The remainder of the series, which included the live finals, were filmed using Covid-19 safety protocols in the summer and early autumn.

The series also drew a record number of complaints for a choreographed performance by the dance troupe Diversity, which was inspired by the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Ant and Dec will continue to present the next series of Britain’s Got Talent, with Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams all expected to return.