Britain's Got Talent 'gets dog spinoff' as ITV calls for applicants
ITV is calling on dogs to take part in a new talent show.
ITV wants dogs to apply for a 'Britain's Got Talent' spinoff.
The broadcaster is looking to expand its talent show franchise with a special programme focused on talented pooches, following on from beloved acts like 2012 'BGT' winners Ashleigh and Pudsey.
A source told The Sun newspaper's TVBiz column: "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.
"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.”
Head judge Simon Cowell is a huge animal lover, and plenty of performing pets have won the hearts of viewers over the years.
In 2019, 11-year-old Alex Lauenburger's acrobatic pooch troupe earned Ant and Dec's golden buzzer.
Now, it's said ITV is advertising for contestants for the new show.
According to the report, the ad asks: "is your furry friend a star? Do they have a show-stopping trick? Are they a bark above the rest?”
The human applicants must be aged 18 or over to submit their pet, with people told to email part@itv.com to apply.
Meanwhile, Simon's fellow 'BGT' judge Bruno Tonioli previously joked the dogs competing on the main show are "treated better" than he is", as he urged viewers not to worry about the welfare of the animals taking part.
He told the Daily star newspaper's Hot TV column: "They are protected all the time. The sound levels are brought down at different times so they're not made to feel stressed.
"The dogs are so well looked after. There is a huge production. They are very well taken care of.
"They are actually looked after better than me. They get better dressing rooms!"
