Simon Cowell reveals that he got the idea for 'Britain's Got Talent' after watching rival show

Simon Cowell has said that he got the idea for Britain’s Got Talent from a rival show that he thought he could better.

Though he doesn’t name the show, he told Paul McKenna on his podcast how he then put his plans into practice.

“It was just an idea I had in the kitchen one day, I was watching another competing music show and a girl was murdering Get Here by Olita Adams,” he said.

“I thought ‘do you know what, I would actually rather watch a show about a singing dog’.

“And that’s how Got Talent came along. And we developed it over a year and then we sold it. And this show will run for 20 years.”

While singing dogs have not been on heavy rotation among its contestants, Ashley Butler and her dog Pudsey won the programme’s sixth series in 2012.

“We see a competing show and think: we will take a bit of that show and put it into ours,” he added.

“But I am still incredibly competitive. When I see a competing show starting to do well I actually feel physically sick.

“I don’t like my friends to do well. I really don’t. Jealousy in a weird way is good for you. If you are not jealous of your competitors you are not going to win.”

The new series of Britain’s Got Talent began filming today, with Ant McPartlin back on presenting duties with Declan Donnelly.

McPartlin had taken almost a year off, following a conviction for drink driving, in order to address issues surrounding addiction.

The series will air later this year.

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