Britain's Got Talent fans rejoiced on Saturday night when the ITV talent show returned, with presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly at the helm for a new season of awkward auditions and extraordinary hidden talents. The new series marks the 17th installment of the talent show, which debuted in 2007 and continues to spotlight top acts from around the world.
Featuring a panel of judges including Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli, the show serves as a springboard for emerging talents, offering them the chance to compete for a coveted spot on the Royal Variety Performance stage - and £ 250,000.
From wild and crazy to performances that touch your heart, The Standard looks back at all the winners of the show.
2007: Paul Potts
In the first season of the series, Paul Potts, originally a manager at Carphone Warehouse who later became an opera singer, emerged as the 2007 winner.
Following his win, the Bristol native embarked on a global tour, captivating audiences in the US, Toronto and Korea. He also showed his vocal talents in operas such as The Marriage Of Figaro and Don Carlos.
His remarkable journey was even immortalized in the film One Chance, in which James Corden played him on screen.
His most recent public appearance, based in Port Talbot with his wife Julie-Ann, took place in 2022 when he took part in the Masked Singer Germany and revealed himself as Koala during the third episode of the series.
2008: George Sampson
George Sampson was crowned winner of Britain's Got Talent at the age of 14 with his mesmerizing street dance routine.
Despite failing to reach the live semi-finals of the first series after an earlier audition, he made a triumphant return in 2008 and captivated audiences with his dynamic performance to Mint Royale's rendition of Singin' In The Rain.
Following its triumph, the song rose to the top of the UK download chart, prompting Simon Cowell's record label to invite him to make a video for the song. The young star then ventured into acting, playing Kyle Stack in Waterloo Road and playing Dean in the musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie.
Sampson has been in a relationship with actress Kazmin Borrer for three years, after meeting her during a theater production.
2009: Diversity
In 2009, dance group Diversity caused an upset when they defeated leader Susan Boyle to win the third series.
After their performance at the Royal Variety Show, the group led by Ashley Banjo embarked on a successful dance career, undertaking several tours of the UK and even fronting a Sky series, Ashley Banjo's Secret Dance Crew.
Now Ashley now serves as a judge on ITV's Dancing On Ice. The group is no stranger to the ice, as member Perri Kiely is joining the series in 2020. He has also appeared on Celebrity Great British Bake Off and Splash!.
Elsewhere, Kiely and fellow dancer Jordan Banjo have also turned their attention to radio, hosting KISS Breakfast with Jordan & Perri. The group continues to tour.
2010: Game Bound
Spelbound, a gymnastics ensemble, mesmerized the judges in 2010 with their breathtaking somersaults, jumps and stunts, taking victory.
After BGT, the group underwent several lineup changes as some members retired while others pursued higher education.
They delivered two remarkable routines at the end of the 2012 London Olympics and featured in a Channel 4 telethon before returning to the Royal Variety Performance later that year.
They have also performed all over the world, including places like Doha, Portugal and Spain. Since their win, many of their members have now left to become gymnastics coaches or pursue solo careers.
2011: Jai MacDowall
Scottish singer Jai MacDowall captivated audiences and judges alike in 2011 with his mesmerizing vocals on BGT after years of auditioning for shows such as The X Factor and American Idol.
He continued to impress on the BGT tour before landing a recording contract with Simon Cowell's label Syco in 2011. MacDowall headlined a sold-out show at the Grand Hall in Kilmarnock and later shared the stage with Josh Groban at the Royal Concert Hall.
After releasing his debut album under Cowell's label, he was dropped by Syco in 2012 and signed elsewhere. He returned to Britain's Got Talent: The Champions in 2019 and then released a new single in 2021, a cover of John Legend's All Of Me.
MacDowall continues to perform, most recently with a UK tour of the production Come What May.
2012: Ashleigh and Pudsey
The dynamic dog and owner won the 2012 season of Britain's Got Talent. Pudsey, the talented dancing dog, was impeccably trained by Ashleigh and delivered an adorable routine to the tune of Mission Impossible.
Following their appearance at the Royal Variety Performance, the pair starred in their own film, Ashleigh And Pudsey: The Movie. They also made numerous television appearances, including as judges on shows such as That Dog Can Dance! and who let the dogs out?
Tragically, Pudsey passed away in 2017, prompting Ashleigh to train a new furry companion named Sully. In 2023, the experienced dog trainer announced that she and Sully had secured a spot on the GB Agility Team.
2013: Attraction
The Hungarian Shadow Arts Ensemble delivered a series of moving performances during the show's 2013 season.
Their act often brought Amanda to tears, making them the first foreign group to win BGT.
After their win, they starred in a TV ad and even got their own show in Las Vegas. In 2019, they participated in America's Got Talent: The Champions, but did not reach the finals.
Then in 2022, a new generation of Attraction members known as Attraction Juniors auditioned for BGT again, although they did not make it to the semi-finals.
2014: Collaboration
In 2014, musical theater singing group Collabro won BGT with a moving rendition of Stars from Les Miserables.
Following their win, the band, which consisted of Michael Auger, Jamie Lambert, Matthew Pagan, Thomas J. Redgrave and Richard Hadfield, who left the group in June 2016, released their debut album Stars under Cowell's record label Syco, which rose to the top. top of the charts.
Collabro then embarked on a successful tour in 2015 and even headlined the London Palladium.
Their success continued when they signed a £1 million recording contract with Sony Masterworks in the US. Despite several other shows and records, they announced their decision to part ways in August 2022 after one final album and tour.
2015: Jules and Matisse
Just three years after Ashleigh and Pudsey, another talented dog act claimed victory, but not without controversy, when it was discovered that Jules O'Dwyer had included a second dog, Chase (who bears a resemblance to Matisse), in the final performance.
Although Ofcom determined that guidelines had been breached by misleading viewers, and despite more than 200 Ofcom complaints, Cowell allowed O'Dwyer to keep £250,000 in prize money.
O'Dwyer now lives in Belgium with her wife Marie France, after saying she struggled to adapt to her newfound fame.
2016: Corporal Richard Jones
Lance Corporal Richard Jones, a magician, was crowned BGT winner in 2016.
The first magician to claim victory in the long-running talent show, the former soldier has since achieved significant success with his television series Operation Magic and Power of Imagination.
Additionally, he has showcased his magical skills in the UK performing alongside the Band Of The Household Cavalry.
2017: Tokyo Myers
Tokyo Myers, a pianist and music producer, won the eleventh part of the show. After his BGT win, he released his debut album Our Generation, which went gold in 2021.
Since then, Myers has collaborated with music sensation Ed Sheeran and even became Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the Classic Brits in 2018.
He also contributed to the charity single Bridge Over Troubled Water for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. Now with three Classical Brit Awards to his name and an appearance on America's Got Talent: The Champions, Tokyo is now turning its attention to philanthropy by pushing to establish a music school for underprivileged children.
2018: Lost Voice Man
Lee Ridley, better known as The Lost Voice Guy, captured the hearts of the country in 2018 with his comedic talent. Nearly six years after his win, he continues to entertain audiences across the country, has written a book, I'm Only In It For The Parking and runs his own merchandise line.
Ridley, who has cerebral palsy, has also co-written and starred in Radio 4 sitcom Ability and BBC Three's Jerk.
He has also been recognized with a BBC New Comedy Award and presented his own TV programme, Lost Voice Guy's Christmas Comedy Club.
2019: Colin Thackery
British-Korean war veteran Colin Thackery stands out as one of the show's most cherished acts, becoming the oldest ever winner of Britain's Got Talent at the age of 89.
His rendition of Wind Beneath My Wings brought the audience to tears, while his semi-final performance featured a heart-warming collaboration with a large group of Chelsea Pensioners.
In 2022, Thackery marked a milestone by releasing his debut single Love Changes Everything, which rose to number 13 on the charts.
Furthermore, he made a poignant return to BGT that same year, delivering a moving performance alongside the Chelsea Pensioners choir and several other acts.
2020: Jon Courtenay
Comedian Jon Courtenay brought some much-needed cheer during the challenging times of 2020's lockdown. Following his triumph, he embarked on a nationwide tour, What's it all About?.
Amid his triumph, the comic pianist revealed he was diagnosed with skin cancer after a mole discovered during BGT filming turned out to be melanoma. Luckily, he got the nod and resumed touring with his comedy show.
He has since performed at the Edinburgh Fringe and also fronted a podcast entitled Alpha-Bet My Life. Courtenay lives in Mossley with his wife Emma and their two sons, Nathan and Alfie.
2022: Axel Blake
Comedian Axel Blake left a lasting impression on all the judges, especially Simon, who awarded him a golden buzzer on BGT in 2022.
After BGT he appeared alongside Ellie Taylor on CBBC's Saturday Mashup and Celebrity Lingo.
The following year, Axel participated in America's Got Talent: All Stars, but was eliminated in the preliminary rounds. He continues to tour Britain with his latest show, Axel Blake-In Style.
2023: Viggo Venn
Norwegian comedian Viggo Venn initially failed to win over Simon during his audition, causing an uproar.
However, last year he defied the odds with his boisterous sketches, often wearing high-vis vests, about runner-up magician Cillian O'Connor, 14, and 13-year-old gymnastic dancer Liliana Clifton to win Britain's Got Talent.
His win earned him a spot at the 2023 Royal Variety Show following his win on BGT.
