ITV has pre-emptively pulled the plug on this year’s season of “Britain’s Got Talent” due to production complications arising from the pandemic.
The entertainment show is one of the country’s biggest primetime programs, and normally airs from April to June. The 2020 season was disrupted due to COVID-19 and aired in two parts, with the first half, comprised of auditions filmed pre-pandemic, broadcast from April to May, and the second half aired from late August to October, and featuring the remaining episodes produced under COVID guidelines.
The 2021 season, however, proved to be logistically impossible given the U.K.’s ongoing COVID-19 crisis and third national lockdown.
A spokesperson for “Britain’s Got Talent” tells Variety: “Despite everyone at ITV, Thames and Syco doing their best to make it happen, and with our absolute priority of safeguarding the well-being and health of every person involved in the program, from judges, hosts and contestants to all of the crew and audience, the decision has been made to — unfortunately — move the record and broadcast of the 15th series of Britain’s Got Talent to 2022.”
In explaining the rationale for canceling the 2021 show, ITV suggests that auditioning is proving to be especially challenging given the show generally draws large groups of performers.
“BGT is known for its diversity of talent with big dance groups, wonderful choirs and lavish orchestras at its heart, and it has become clear that not only is it not possible to film auditions with these types of acts in a secure way but also that they are not able to adequately rehearse and prepare safely,” said the spokesperson. “Safety has to come first and, as a result, the recording of the show can’t currently go ahead as planned.”
The U.K. has rigorous guidelines in place for film and television production, but the ongoing COVID-19 crisis means the most recent lockdown will be in place until March. To date, the country has recorded 103,000 deaths from the virus.