UK: Music mogul Simon Cowell's talent show "Britain's Got Talent" goes head-to-head with new UK show "The Voice" for viewers.

Record ID: 899206

  • Title: UK: Music mogul Simon Cowell's talent show "Britain's Got Talent" goes head-to-head with new UK show "The Voice" for viewers.
  • Date: 24th March 2012
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MARCH 22, 2012) (REUTERS) COWELL GETTING MAKE-UP PUT ON HIM DIXON, COWELL AND HOLDEN LAUGHING AND SPEAKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) SIMON COWELL, STANDING WITH DIXON (LEFT) AND HOLDEN, SAYING: "One of the panellists said this, said that only singers can judge these shows which is ridiculous, it's what I do for a living. I spot talent. One Direction are number one in the album charts this week and Susan Boyle was number one over there, sold 30 million albums. You can't knock the statistics but now these people have got to walk the walk themselves and we'll see what they come up with."
  • Embargoed: 8th April 2012 09:09
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA4IUT6R70YAMUOSOYVI6IFOTGD
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Music mogul Simon Cowell's talent show "Britain's Got Talent" goes head-to-head with new UK show "The Voice" for viewers.
    A television ratings battle is underway in Britain between music mogul Simon Cowell's "Britain's Got Talent" and newcomer "The Voice", of which neither side is backing down.
    Both shows are set to premiere on Saturday (March 24) in a head-to-head battle with both sides recruiting an army of celebrity judges.
    Cowell, the music executive-turned-television producer, is returning to "Talent" as a judge after working in the United States on his other programmes, the newly-launched "X Factor" and audience favourite "American Idol".
    "Britain's Got Talent" helped launched the career of Susan Boyle, who has sold 30 million records worldwide, according to Cowell.
    It's not the first time Cowell, whose shows air on ITV, is engrossed in a ratings war with the BBC.
    Last season, British "X Factor" lagged in ratings numbers behind ballroom dance competition "Strictly Come Dancing".
    But it seems Cowell is currently having the last laugh as he has wangled judge Alesha Dixon away from "Strictly" to "Talent".
    "Someone's always going to have a pop at you but you've got to be quite honest about it, when 'Strictly' was beating 'X Factor', I'm really, really, really they're beating us. (mimicking voice) 'But they couldn't do the same thing', 'Oh no it's not about ratings, it's about quality.' Oh give me a break, you want to beat us and we want to beat you," Cowell told Reuters Television.
    But "The Voice" judge, Welsh singer Tom Jones, raised the stakes, questioning the credibility of judges "on other shows".
    "Some judges on other shows that have never been on stage in their lives, or they've never actually sang, or they don't sing that well and you think 'How can this person, who's an average singer anyway, give their advice to somebody that sounds better than they do?'"
    Cowell answered back, citing British boyband One Direction, who was put together by Cowell on "X Factor" and signed to his record label Syco. The group made history on Wednesday (March 21) by becoming the first British group to have their first album debut at number one in the United States, not even the Beatles or the Spice Girls could manage that.
    "One of the panellists said this, said that only singers can judge these shows which is ridiculous, it's what I do for a living. I spot talent. One Direction are number one in the album charts this week and Susan Boyle was number one over there, sold 30 million albums. You can't knock the statistics but now these people have got to walk the walk themselves and we'll see what they come up with," said Cowell.
    True to its moniker, the BBC show focuses exclusively on a singer's voice. The judges have their backs turned to the contestant and if judges like them, they turn their chairs around to see the singer.
    A battle between the judges to coach the contestant ensues.
    "The Voice" includes judges Danny O'Donoghue, from Irish band The Script, "Price Tag" singer Jessie J, Welsh legend Jones and Black Eyed Peas' rapper and producer will.i.am.
    "I don't want to diss (disrespect) the other shows but this is by far the best one, in a nice way," said will.i.am.
    "Britain's Got Talent" is a talent competition, where anything and everything goes. Two of the show's winners included dancers.
    Its judges include comedian/actor David Walliams, singer/rapper Alesha Dixon, actress Amanda Holden and Cowell. The judges are not well-known outside of the UK but Cowell is.
    Cowell hit back at "The Voice" and the BBC, saying: "I think they've got a bit obsessed at the moment like they're trying to prove a point before the show has even gone on air and I think it's better to talk about it once you've seen both shows and you ask the public which one they prefer."
    Audiences can be their own judge of the shows, when they air on Saturday.
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