ITV is stirring up excitement with a brand new series that places the spotlight on the nation's most talented dogs.
Riding on the back of Britain's Got Talent's recent season launch, with Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, Bruno Tonioli, and special guest KSI as judges, ITV is now calling for talented pooches to strut their stuff for a "potential new entertainment show," The Sun has revealed.
An insider shared: "Pooches are always a huge hit on these competitions, so it made sense to devote a show entirely to the unique abilities of our four-legged friends."
The source continued: "Forget Britain's Got Talent, it's more a case of Britain's Dog Talent. And ITV will be hoping this proves to be just as popular."
This move isn't surprising given the successful dog acts in the past; notably, Pudsey the Border Collie mix bagging the grand prize in 2012 with owner Ashleigh Butler and Miracle, the dog with an escape from Thailand's illegal meat trade, who wowed even Simon Cowell in 2020.
The call-to-action for this show teases: "ITV are casting for a potential new entertainment show and are looking for talented dogs and their proud owners. Is your furry friend a star?
"Do they have a show-stopping trick? Are they a bark above the rest?" Contestants eager to enter with their pooch must be over 18 and complete an application form. Simon, the judge and mastermind behind Britain Got Talent, is a well-known canine aficionado who currently has a pack of five dogs, reports the Mirror.
Last year, he welcomed a German Shepherd named Pebbles into his home, adding to his Yorkshire Terriers Squiddly and Diddly, Freddy – his late mother's dog – and Daisy from Barbados. In April 2022, Simon revealed his intention to bequeath a "substantial amount" to various dog shelters in his will, an amount rumoured to reach around £20 million.
This revelation came after a severe bike accident that resulted in a broken arm for Simon, who at that time labelled the will preparation as "one of the most depressing things I've ever done, and one of the hardest".
Britain's Got Talent airs Saturdays at 7pm on ITV1.
