George Sampson wins Britain's Got Talent!

George Sampson wins Britain's Got Talent!
George Sampson wins Britain's Got Talent!

*Teenage breakdancer George Sampson won the second series of Britain's Got Talent* Fresh from his stint on the latest American Idol, Simon Cowell is returning to the UK to find out once again what talent is on offer on this side of the Atlantic. After a successful run in States, the first series of the UK version of Simon's ...Got Talent format really captured the public's imagination featuring, as it did, a myriad of singers, jugglers, dancers... and an illusionist with a rotary saw! More than 11 million viewers tuned in to see mobile phone salesman-turned-opera singer Paul Potts win the title of Britain's most talented, plus a &pound 100,000 cash prize and the chance to perform at the Royal Variety Performance. Oh, and a recording contract to boot! Other memorable contestants from series one were six-year-old singer Connie Talbot, young Eliza Doolittle wannabe Bessie Curzons, jugglers The Bar Wizards and ventriloquist Damon Scott and his puppet Bubbles. With series one proving such a hit, it's unsurprising that thousands would turn out to audition for the second series in the hope of becoming the next big thing. Once again Simon and fellow judges Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden are on hand to put the wacky and wonderful through their paces... and buzz out those that are just plain weird! Ant and Dec host as all the highs - and lows - from the auditions are shown every Saturday night from April 12 until the live semi-finals, starting on May 26, when the public get to vote for their favourite. Those who make it through this nail-biting stage will go head-to-head in the grand finale on ITV1 on Saturday May 31. For those who can't get enough, ITV2's spin-off Britain's Got More Talent will be back after the main show on Saturday nights, hosted by Stephen Mulhern. And for all the latest news, gossip and video clips featuring the hopefuls, keep logging on to whatsontv.co.uk.

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.