Britain's Got Talent ITV 'axe' threat for Simon Cowell as show pulled days before filming

Despite now being one of the biggest shows on TV year after year, Britain's Got Talent very nearly didn't make it to screens, with Simon Cowell admitting the plug was 'pulled' just days before filming began on the first series.

It was back in 2007 that BGT made its debut on ITV, with phone salesman turned opera superstar Paul Potts becoming the first champion and his win and the hyper around it, not only helping to secure the programme's future but also paving the way for more winners like George Sampson, Collabro, Ashley & Pudsey, Lost Voice Guy and Diversity, who arguably pulled off the biggest shock so far, when they beat bookies favourite Susan Boyle in the 2009 final.

Last year's show was won by eccentric comedian Viggo Venn, with him going onto have his own UK tour, as well as performing at the Royal Variety Performance and, on Saturday night, Britain's Got Talent will return for a brand new run on ITV, as Simon and fellow judges Amanda Holden, Bruno Tonioli and Alesha Dixon run the rule over a new batch of hopefuls.

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All four of them appeared as guests on Thursday's This Morning and, it was during an interview with presenter Josie Gibson that Simon made the admission that ITV execs didn't have much faith in the show to begin with and he hid the fact they weren't impressed from the rest of the team.

He explained: "The show was actually pulled. It was pulled three days before we started filming and I just didn't tell anyone.

"And I was thinking 'Well we're just going to have to make it and somehow find the money' and I text that person on the first day, literally after one or two acts and I went 'It's a hit.'