[Brekkie]

I would prefer another Champions series as an avenue to introduce acts from other versions of the show to a UK audience rather than them being planted in the main show. The first one didn't set the world on fire but did decently enough and would do better than anything else ITV currently air on Saturdays in the autumn, though it would be more of an event if they switched to doing it live across a week.

The US Fantasy League format is basically just an update on that format which was also rebranded as All Stars for a couple of years, just with a fairly pointless X Factor style twist of acts being assigned to the judges. America's Got Talent is quite rare in that it's been a very successful summer show for NBC which they've never moved into the main ratings season, so the spin-offs introduce the brand into mid-season without removing it from the summer.

[gottago]

They wouldn't be able to fill the main show without acts from other versions. They've had a casting issue with UK acts for years, there really is a limit to the amount of quality variety acts in this country that haven't already been approached (multiple times) for the show. There will always be new singers to find but it's the other types of acts that are difficult to fill. They're even reusing UK acts now like the dog act and the magicians.

The gulf in quality between the booked acts and the UK acts is particularly noticeable this year IMO.

[tellyblues]

I think on top of the reasons why people do/don't want to be on the show, there are cultural factors at play that affects both the type of and quality of acts from Britain. The UK isn't exactly known for people being over-confident, which may hold back those to get through to the judges stage, and when BGT is looking for acts that are different, there isn't an abundance of sand dancers from Ipswich (just an example) because it isn't a national pastime. This wasn't a problem in the early days of the show as the bar was set low and there were plenty of joke acts. There's not much that can be done about this without sacrificing quality other than contestants here trying something other than the usual singing and dancing and being good at it.

[Brekkie]

I don't think it's a case that they wouldn't be able to fill the show with UK talent - it's that it's easier for them to cast international acts with a proven record. I don't even think an increased reliance on singers would be as much of an issue now X Factor has gone.

As always it's about balance and we've had years in the past where the balance has tipped too far in the direction of singers, dancers, magicians or comedians and this year it feels like that with the international acts. They've gone from a handful making up the numbers to feeling like they overly dominate this year.

[bilky asko]

I'm sure a group of members here could club together and submit ourselves as an ITV ident tribute act. Quintessentially British.

[tellyblues]

I don't think it's a case that they wouldn't be able to fill the show with UK talent - it's that it's easier for them to cast international acts with a proven record. I don't even think an increased reliance on singers would be as much of an issue now X Factor has gone.

As always it's about balance and we've had years in the past where the balance has tipped too far in the direction of singers, dancers, magicians or comedians and this year it feels like that with the international acts. They've gone from a handful making up the numbers to feeling like they overly dominate this year.

International acts having a proven record ties in with what I've said previously - too many people apply for BGT having just the one routine and are soon found out. In the early days, the show was set up for people releasing albums afterwards and therefore appealing to people who wanted a "career" in music. Even though X Factor isn't around, there still isn't a great appetite for serious singers to want to be on the show because it gives them nothing and they don't want to be judged amongst comedy acts or whatever. That's what The Voice is for but that fails time and time again because it's an out of date format.

I agree about balance but it's a fine line to tread - should it be a balance in quality or balance in numbers? There could be an equal distribution of acts in the semi finals but it comes down to what viewers vote for. The year with the magicians I remember saying at the time that so many of them got through to the final because they were up against weak competition. Again, we're back to quality.

[Brekkie]

I wouldn't say the quality has really been there so far this week either. The semi finals have always been hit and miss and the talent not necessarily spread evenly across the week but so far for me it's been a mediocre week with it a struggle to identify three acts each night worthy of the top spots rather than talented acts missing out.

[Neil Jones]

I'm sure a group of members here could club together and submit ourselves as an ITV ident tribute act. Quintessentially British.

I Bagsie the Anglia Knight.

[iloveTV1]

I wouldn't say the quality has really been there so far this week either. The semi finals have always been hit and miss and the talent not necessarily spread evenly across the week but so far for me it's been a mediocre week with it a struggle to identify three acts each night worthy of the top spots rather than talented acts missing out.

Really? I thought last night especially was very strong.

[gottago]

I don't think it's a case that they wouldn't be able to fill the show with UK talent

I've worked on the show, trust me it is that hard to fill the show with a strong variety of UK acts, and they were already struggling 8 years ago. Singers and dance troupes are easy, anything else is a real challenge.