BGT winner Paul Potts has told Entertainment Daily that he thought last weekend’s live semi-final was “lacking energy”.
He also shared his concerns about the impact of trolling, urging ITV to take care of its contestants through the arduous audition process.
As well as that, Paul also shared fears that show boss Simon Cowell could have a little too much influence over the voting public…
Paul Potts criticises BGT live semi-final
Speaking on behalf of Sky Vegas, Paul said he’s unsure of how the final is looking so far, telling us it’s “too early to tell”. However, he does think last weekend’s semi-final (May 3) was a little bit dull…
So far, singers Vinnie McKee and Stacey Leadbeatter have made it to the grand final. Dance group The Blackouts and guitarist Olly Pearson are also set to perform for the title.
However, Paul has warned that the judges and voting public needs to be selective about who they put through from the upcoming semi-finals, warning that the final could become “too singer-heavy”.
He told us: “It’s too early to tell. There are a couple of strong singers already, but we don’t want it to be too singer-heavy. The show needs people with energy, and some of the acts on Saturday night just didn’t bring that.
“I also felt the tempo of the show didn’t vary enough. It could have had more contrast. The tempo stayed quite similar throughout, and while we had the two dance acts, everything else just felt a bit too consistent. There needed to be more contrast. It needed a bit more excitement.
“Saturday night wasn’t a bad show by any means, but I just think it lacked that extra burst of energy. We need those energy-filled moments for the final.”
‘It can influence how people vote’
Turning to Simon Cowell, Paul admitted he might do things differently if he was on the BGT judging panel.
“I try to see things from the performer’s point of view, knowing what it feels like to be on stage, waiting to go on and dealing with the nerves.
“Sometimes, words can be interpreted in different ways, and when Simon says something, it can influence how people vote,” he said, voicing his concerns.
Trolling concerns
Paul also shared his hopes that ITV is looking after the contestants as they go through the process of being in the spotlight.
“Social media was around when I did Britain’s Got Talent, but it’s nothing like what it is now. I really hope the show is providing full psychological support to the contestants, because it’s a long process,” he shared.
“From my own experience with social media, I know there’s [plenty of noise], and it’s not always easy to step away from it.”
Offering advice to the hopefuls, Paul added: “Contestants have to decide how to handle it – whether they report it, respond, or just ignore it. Ignoring it is often seen as the best option, but it’s not always the right choice. It all depends on the individual’s personality and how they deal with it.”
He continued: “I really hope none of the acts have to deal with online trolling. People often feel entitled to criticise, but the problem with social media is that sometimes people don’t know when to stop, and it’s easy to forget that you’re talking to, and about a real person.”
The next live BGT semi-final in on ITV1, Saturday (May 10) at 7pm.
Read more: Concerns for Teddy Magic, eight, after he pulled out of BGT semi-final
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