Britain’s Got Talent returns this week as Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon are joined by new faces on the judging panel
Ant & Dec will once again host Britain’s Got Talent(Image: ITV)
Britain’s Got Talent returns for 2026 with fresh faces on the judging panel and a new crop of performers.
The enduring ITV talent competition welcomes back Ant and Dec as presenters whilst hundreds of aspiring acts take their chance on stage, hoping to win over not only the judges but also the viewing public for a shot at the transformative £250,000 prize and a coveted spot at the world-renowned Royal Variety Performance.
Series 19 contestants will be aiming to emulate magician Harry Moulding, who triumphed in last year’s competition. As tradition dictates, both judges and hosts retain the coveted golden buzzer privilege, enabling them to send their preferred acts straight through to the live semi-finals.
Previewing what audiences can anticipate from the 2026 series, head judge Simon Cowell said: “I think it’s got all the makings of a great year. And credit to the team. They really, really work hard and they work hard all year long to make it as good as possible.
“We always try and make it better than the year before. That’s always our goal. I certainly think this series is going to be up there amongst some of the greatest.”
Everything you need to know about season 19 is detailed below.
When does Britain’s Got Talent start?
Ant, KSI, Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and Dec(Image: ITV)
BGT launches on Saturday, February 21 at 7pm on ITV1, ITVX and STV.
The opening episode runs for one hour and 25 minutes.
Who sits on the BGT judging panel?
Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon are all back on the panel, with KSI taking up the position previously held by Bruno Tonioli, who departed following the previous series, reports the Mirror.
Discussing what kind of panellist KSI brings to the table, having appeared as a guest judge previously, Amanda said: “Aside from his no-nonsense approach he’s bringing a new approach to the show.
“He looks at everything through a social media lens and what will work and won’t work on TikTok. That is what we pride ourselves on at Britain’s Got Talent, always moving with the times and reinventing the show or bits of the show over the last 19 years, which is why I think it’s succeeded and worked for so long.
Britain’s Got Talent judge Simon Cowell (Image: ITV)
“Having KSI on the end is a stroke of genius. I just love him. He’s got great energy. He’s up for stuff. KSI and I socialise together; it’s just heaven on a stick behind the scenes.”
The new series will also feature Stacey Solomon stepping in temporarily to deputise for Simon Cowell. Discussing Stacey’s appearance on the programme, presenter Ant said: “Stacey knows exactly what it’s like to stand on this stage, audition and be judged for a show like this, because she did the very same on The X Factor.
“So it was nice for her to sit there in the judge’s chair and put herself in the shoes of every auditionee who walked on stage. She had a lot of empathy with them, which is good. It was nice to see her up there.”
Who is presenting BGT?
Amanda Holden will judge Britain’s Got Talent(Image: ITV)
As always, Ant and Dec are back to host BGT. Discussing what viewers can anticipate from series 19, Ant remarked: “Like we always say, expect the unexpected! We never know who’s going to walk around that corner when we’re on the side of the stage, and the viewers never know who’s going to walk on stage when you’re watching on telly.”
Dec continued: “There’s more madness and more fantastic talent from here and around the world.”
Who won BGT last year?
Last year, magician Harry Moulding mesmerised both judges and audiences with his extraordinary mind-reading performances before securing the public vote and earning his spot in BGT’s Hall of Fame as the most recent series champion.
The new series of Britain’s Got Talent starts Saturday, February 21 on ITV1, ITVX and STV.