matthieus2

There was an X Factor UK celebrity edition some years ago and I'm sure Simon later said he hated it and would never do it again. I wonder why the change of tune now. I think Heidi tweeted something along the lines of "Congratulation to Shin Lim being the first winner of AGT: The Champions". I personally think it'd be a terrible idea if this became a regular season idea. I think I'd only welcome another The Champions of AGT if it was some years down the line, after there's been some noteable recent talent. BGT: The Champions I did worry could be a carbon copy but on a more amateur, cheaper scale, but if planned well I think it could do well. It may depend on the acts in the upcoming season if any of them are worthy to be on The Champions. Personally I'm also wondering whether BGT: The Champions would be pushing for a Susan Boyle win. But that's if she would want to do it again. I wouldn't blame her if she didn't, but I think if the public could vote and Simon and the producers don't blatantly interfere and meddle, then I'd say she would have a good chance of going far. Not that she really needs it.

I guess we may never know about the truth of Mel and Heidi leaving. For some reason I get the impression Mel leaving was more mutual as perhaps it was more to be expected, but Heidi I'm wondering if it came as a shock to her. I think I forgot they'd been there for quite a big part of AGT's history, and they both seemed to have been appreciative to be there. I think Kseniya Simonova's tribute to The Champions was a nice touch from her.

I'm in the UK myself. AGT: The Champions has been airing weekly on Netflix so I imagine some Brit fans have been viewing, and there have been some updates in the media. I don't know how the "50 states/superfans" would work with a BGT: The Champions. I would think it'd be safer to just have the studio audiences vote for the auditions, and perhaps a live final for everyone to vote. BGT doesn't have judges cuts like AGT, though I wonder if it'll happen in the future. I always feel like not as much effort is put into BGT but I'd like to see that improve perhaps. In terms of it being exactly the same, I do think it could treat viewers as idiots if it's an exact carbon copy of AGT: The Champions. But I also wonder if many of The Champions contestants would return for BGT. I was thinking I'd like to see Kseniya Simonava again, but I don't know how they could top her AGT golden buzzer audition moment.

Oh no! If he's serious about it being an annual idea, it really does sound like overkill to me! I like the Champions idea as a one-off special and treat to the fans, but I don't see how it would work frequently as surely they'd run out of champion contestants. Unless it keeps happening until Simon and the producers' favourite(s) finally wins. Has it been confirmed BGT will follow the same format? I would've thought it would make more sense if he champions auditions are all pre-recorded to have had the studio audience vote, and then have the final as live for the public to vote. Though I think that could likely mean a totally different winner. I wonder if BGT: The Champions would pre-dominantly feature BGT contestants and then the rest international contestants. Not to be too down on my own BGT, but I think overall there have been more memorable/champion AGT contestants and I'm not sure there would be enough BGT champions to fill 50 spots. I always sort of think not enough effort seems to be put into BGT. At least with AGT there are auditions, judges cuts, quarter finals, semi finals, and the final. With BGT it seems to go straight from auditions to the semi finals to the final. So there doesn't seem to be a lot of weedling out the dross and cannon fodder acts from the really good ones, in my opinion. A positive I would say is that though I don't know how successful AGT: The Champions has been overall, it seems to have had media attention, and perhaps could lead to some good international Got Talent contestants who didn't want to do The Champions may come back for a BGT: The Champions, if that makes sense. But please not too much overkill, Simon and the producers!! I've read there will be an X Factor (UK) celebrity special battle of the bands type thing. I remember Simon was quoted as saying he never wanted to do another of that series some time ago! And I don't know how accurate it is but apparently he's surprised the likes of One Direction and Little Mix don't want to return for an X Factor All-Stars format idea! Off topic, but I think X Factor in the UK is even more tired and overdone than Got Talent.

I could see how this could be set up for Susan to win, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I personally think if the world was allowed to vote, she'd probably win hands down. Especially judging by the comments on YouTube. I agree about Simon seeming softer over the years. In his early years of talent shows in the UK around early 00's he got nicknamed "Mr Nasty" or "Nasty Simon" if I remember rightly. (Which sounds a bit kinky!) I think there has been a switch. A lot of these talent shows follow the same format over the years, and that's something that irks me a bit about how judges talk about the impact about Susan now. Contestants still got mocked and judged very quickly, but with Susan it seemed like due to her audition going viral online and getting such media attention she became such a household name. I will say, I think it's shocking when you look back on old clips of talent shows now, not just Simon but some of the judges could make brutal comments about contestants' appearances and weight, which I think would get more backlash from viewers now. I've read online I think from some who were in the audience of Susan's initial BGT audition that the judges were quite disparaging that wasn't fully shown. Apparently when Susan said she was going to sing I Dreamed a Dream, Amanda suggested she sing a Britney Spears song, not sure if that was in a mocking way, and Susan had to say she wanted to sing I Dreamed a Dream. I wouldn't be surprised if Simon was more rude to Susan than we saw.

Has anyone seen apparently there will be a Britain's Got Talent: The Champions/All-Stars? I'm not sure how to feel about this as though I think there have been some impressive acts over the years on BGT, I really don't think it can compare to the enormity and production and AGT, and to do this later in the year from AGT: The Champions it may look cheap and amateur in comparison. I do wonder if Simon is getting carried away and getting too big for his boots. With BGT I sort of feel like they should focus more on quality than quantity. I don't know if it's more to do with the channel, but I don't understand why they don't make the show slightly longer, as even the winning act you only see it 3 times; the audition, semi final and final. At least if there was a judges cut or quarter finals like AGT it may dwindle down some of the dross and you'd get to know the finalists better. One positive I think is that Simon and Amanda have been there since the beginning so may not only favour the more recent contestants. I also wonder if this would only feature BGT past contestants? Surely they'd be limited if the likes of Susan Boyle, Paul Potts, Attraction, Tokio Myers, Lost Voice Guy, Ashleigh & Sully, Darcy Oake and Issy Simpson wouldn't want to go through it AGAIN and so soon after AGT. I wonder if they also had international contestants some who weren't involved in AGT: The Champions may be interested now, and Simon would learn to do the voting better and more fair for the viewers. I think the British media can be very critical and seem to bring up British shows like BGT having foreign contestants.

By unpopular opinion I meant having Terry as the host and having Tyra as a judge. Not sure Tyra has been that well liked by the viewers.

I think I remember William Close on AGT. It does seem the older seasons on The Champions aren't as well represented, minus of course Paul Potts and Susan Boyle from BGT. But I wasn't sure how well AGT viewers knew of Paul. I haven't seen The World's Best, but the concept seems very similar to The Champions, or what The Champions could have been. Are all the contestants from previous talent shows? I've seen Matt Johnson and Krystyna & Princess from BGT are on it. Even with the 50 international people voting seems like The Champions!

I agree totally about Mel! I don't know how the new judges will be, but I can myself missing Mel's input. At the end of the day, some of the show likely is edited and scripted by Simon and the producers, but I like Mel's honesty and being ballsy at times, and I feel like she plays along to Simon's tune the least of the judges. For example saying what she really thought about Angelica and Kechi's performances recently and not giving a standing ovation just because the others are. I have definitely noticed the difference since Simon has been a judge compared with when Howard was a judge. The show and judges I think used to feel a bit more raw and gritty in some ways. Even I remember when judging if they all knew they liked an act they'd agree "yes" together, which you don't see now. I get the impression this new judging line-up is Simon and the producers' putting their stamp on the show. I've thought it seemed a random line-up, particularly having no American judges, but I can see myself missing Mel the most. I feel at least BGT has more continuity and the judges seem to gel. This may be an unpopular opinion. I'm really pleased Terry will continue as the host, and am glad he seems well received by viewers. I remember before Tyra was the host thinking she'd make a good judge, and I still wonder if she'd work better as a judge.

I was just thinking how The Champions was filmed around September/October. I think The Regurgitator/Stevie Starr won Germany's Got Talent in December, as I wondered how that worked. But unless I remember wrongly, the likes of Billy & Emily and Colin Cloud also didn't mention being on BGT before. It also wasn't mentioned Alex Magala having previously been on AGT and BGT, but perhaps the producers wanted to downplay how some of the contestants have done multiple Got Talents.

I'm happy about Terry coming back. It seems univerally he's been liked by viewers. I did wonder with him hosting The Champions whether it was testing the waters, and he has kind of been thrown into it with it being some already established contestants he's talking with. I can't predict how things will go with the new judges. Personally like I said in another thread I do feel it seems too much change compared to the likes of BGT which I think has more consistency and familiarity. People are saying about Mel being busy in the summer with the Spice Girls tour but I do wonder if she knew The Champions would be her last with AGT. I also wonder whether Heidi had any say in leaving and I feel bad for her if she was axed. I wonder if things are weird for Howie now as I definitely think there is a different vibe to when Howard was a judge as well.

I'm surprised at this. Not surprised at Tyra leaving as she more or less confirmed in an interview she probably wouldn't be back. I don't know how much of it was her choice or if she genuinely does want to focus on other paths. Heidi and Mel B I'm surprised about. Mel B I did sort of wonder if she'd continue being a judge when she was going in to rehab. I did think for the past few seasons it's a bit crazy AGT has no American judges judging it. I don't know much about Gabrielle or Julianne or what they'll bring, but I do often think shows like this go wrong by making it more about the judges than the contestants and act and keep changing the line up. Though I don't always agree with Mel, I like her feistiness on the show. Does anyone also think the show changed when Simon became a judge? I felt when Howard was there the judges seemed to have more fun together and things weren't so serious. Though I think overall AGT beats BGT with better acts overall, I think they've got a good thing going with their judges. It's been the same line-up for around 7 years, and Simon and Amanda have been there since the beginning along with Ant and Dec as the hosts. It could be seen as same-y, but at least there's consistency there.