Amanda Holden on BGT final: You never know how the vote will go

It is one of the biggest events in the TV calendar, and this year Britain’s Got Talent has arguably enjoyed its most successful series yet.

A strong talent line-up has helped to pull in record numbers of viewers – at its height, 11.9 million, making it this year’s highest rated entertainment programme. 

From a talking dog to a death-defying roller-skating duo, it’s BGT’s eclectic array of acts that make it so steadfastly popular. Now, after thousands of applications, hundreds of auditions and a week of live semi-finals, the winner of Britain’s Got Talent 2015 will be crowned tomorrow night. 

Who will triumph? Judge Amanda Holden, who will be joining fellow panellists Alesha Dixon, Simon Cowell and David Walliams for the showdown, says that the competition is still wide open.

“You never know how the vote will go – on the night some people do brilliantly and others don’t and let themselves down,” she says. “It’s like having a pirate ship with a plank of talent on it, and some people will fall off and some will walk to dry land.

 The final is where the acts need to start thinking outside the box. They need to be better than they were before.

“I honestly don’t know who is going to win this year – I normally make a prediction and last year I was wrong!” laughs the 44 year old. “We don’t really care as long as they’re a fantastic ambassador for the show.”

Alesha, 36, agrees that it’s a hard one to call. “Those who have put the work in will have a fighting chance on the night, but it’s all about who the public fall in love with. 

I think we do need to keep mixing it up, though. The beauty of the show is its variety.”

Competition will no doubt be fierce, as the finalists go head-to-head to secure the cash prize of £250,000 and the opportunity to perform at this year’s Royal Variety Performance.

Winning BGT has the potential to transform the winner’s life and give them a shot at worldwide fame. First series winner, mobile phone salesman turned opera singer Paul Potts, went on to release three number one albums, which also went straight to the top of the charts in eight other countries. 

And Susan Boyle – arguably BGT’s most successful contestant – made history when her album I Dreamed A Dream became the fasting-selling UK debut album of all time, with more than nine million copies sold worldwide.

“Susan Boyle is still one of the most gob-smacking moments of BGT. She changed the face of reality television talent shows forever and I don’t think that moment will ever be captured again,” says Amanda. 

“All other shows try to make it happen and feature a downtrodden woman who turns out to be a surprise. But it will never light the touchpaper like Susan Boyle did, because she was a one-off with an awesome talent that came out of nowhere.”

In recent years, the show has received criticism for allowing acts from abroad to enter the competition, and in 2013 the winner was shadow theatre group Attraction, from Hungary. Alesha believes the controversy about the issue was a storm in a teacup.

“Attraction won because the British public voted for them, so I don’t think they have a major issue with it. Personally, I don’t either. I welcome them. Why should we say, ‘Sorry, you can’t come here, you’re not British’. That’s not compassionate,” she says. “If people respect the show enough to come here and audition, then why not?” 

Amanda, who joined the show in 2007 and is the longest-serving member of the Britain’s Got Talent judging panel, says that the atmosphere on this year’s show has been “electric” and she’s enjoyed every moment. The icing on the cake was seeing the ratings go through the roof.

“Of course there will be highs and lows through any series but out of the last five years, this is our strongest, and that’s fantastic,” she says. “We’ve had a particularly strong talent pool, and the ratings have reflected that.”

Amanda confides that working with Alesha is always a joy and that it’s great to have that female camaraderie, uniting them against the “two egos on either end”. She also feels it’s important to show two strong women getting along on prime-time telly.

“There are enough things going on in this business where there is backbiting. I have a strong set of girlfriends who I have been friends with for 20 years and I’m from a matriarchal family, so another girl sitting next to me is no threat, it’s fantastic.

“We are very different but we have found common ground in our attitudes and our children,” continues mum-of-two Amanda. “We are both very strong women. It works really well and I am really fond of her. And she laughs at all my jokes, so double bonus!”

After such a great series, both women are keen to return for next year’s show. 

“If I’m asked to continue, it’d be great,” says Amanda. “It’s an incredible show to be part of and I’d like to keep doing it. Being there from the beginning and seeing how it has developed and changed and come into its own is joyful.”  

Alesha adds, “If they will have me, I’d love to return. BGT celebrates everything that’s great about being British; it’s quintessentially barking mad for all the right reasons. It’s the best show on TV.”