BRITAIN’S Got Talent is going to Blackpool — as it squares up to Strictly in the war to be Saturday night’s top TV show.
The ITV1 talent contest will film a big chunk of its auditions in the seaside town, challenging the territory of its BBC dance show rival.
BGT judges Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell and Bruno Tonioli may even be filmed in the Tower Ballroom, which Strictly, co-hosted by Tess Daly, uses for the centrepiece Blackpool stage of the competition.
A TV insider said: “Strictly’s annual jaunt to Blackpool is one of the show’s ‘special moments’ and is widely seen as a milestone for the contestants.
“But now that trip will be replicated by its ITV rival, there’s little doubt they’re trying to encroach on their territory.
“It’s yet another move to take on the dominance of Strictly on Saturday night telly.”
As part of a new £100million deal being hammered out between ITV and BGT, producers are already poised to extend the show’s run time from seven weeks to almost three months — just as Strictly does every autumn on BBC1.
Show boss Simon is also likely to argue fellow judge Bruno should stay — despite US filming commitments — as having Strictly’s former star is another coup.
The Sun revealed last month ITV is considering axing Bruno altogether.
Alesha, another former Strictly star, was pinched by Simon from the Beeb in 2012.
