Britain's Got Talent is back, and on Wednesday the show's formidable creator Simon Cowell stepped out to inaugurate the latest instalment of his popular talent show creation. Joining him at the first round of auditions was his right hand lady Amanda Holden who, despite the chilly January temperatures, looked distinctly summery in an eye-catching yellow dress. The mum-of-two was radiant as she posed in front of hoardes of fans who had come along to support the show that has unearthed talents such as Susan Boyle.
Mastermind Simon promised to deliver more of the same this time around, and said: "Last year was a special year for talent and I hope that in 2013, off the back of an amazing year for Britain, we find another global star". The remaining half of the judging panel, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams, were also at Cardiff's Millennium Centre for the big day. Alesha went all out with a glamorous black dress split at each thigh, rivalling Amanda in the fashion stakes. She and David, who is expecting a child with model wife Lara Stone, had indulged in some Twitter badinage before their red carpet appearance. In a reference to his glamorous co-judges, comedian David made a prediction ahead of the auditions. "I will be there first. The other judges all take about 10 hours in make-up," he wrote. He also poked fun at Simon and their reputed 'bromance', telling his boss: "I checked into the hotel in Cardiff for BGT, they have given us a lovely room. Just running you a bath...".
Fresh from their stint presenting I'm A Celebrity..., TV duo Ant and Dec are now ready to hold the latest inslament of Britain's Got Talent together. They were also present to witness the first round of hopefuls hoping to dethrone last year's winner – Pudsey the dog. The cute pooch and his owner Ashleigh Butler from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, won £500,000 when viewers voted for the pair's Mission Impossible-themed routine. The six-year-old dog, a cross breed of border collie, Chinese crested powderpuff and bichon frise origins, now has his own agent and has made a lot more from book deals, dog food advertising contracts and film deals.
Pudsey, who has since been insured for £1 million, was Ashley's 11th birthday present from her mum. Speaking after their win the proud owner, now 17, said: "I started training Pudsey in agility from 12 months and he's been doing canine freestyle since he was three.
"He's still so young and absolutely loves training and performing. If we don't do anything for the day he runs around as if he's saying, 'Come on, come on, let's go'."