It's funny and, in a cool way, very, very patriotic

THE BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT JUDGES, INCLUDING NEWCOMER YOUTUBER KSI, SIMON COWELL AND AMANDA HOLDEN TALK ABOUT THEIR EXCITEMENT AS THE HIT SHOW RETURNS FOR ITS 19TH SEASON. BY LYNN RUSK

- LYNN RUSK

Simon, 66, says viewers will be surprised by just how patriotic the show is in this series.

"I would say funny, surprising and actually, in a really cool way, very, very patriotic," he says when asked to describe the series.

"It makes you think: actually, there are always these undiscovered people out there who are so brilliant and they've just got so much talent. That's what I love.

"When you're there and you see the amount of time and effort that goes into some of the acts, it's so cool.

"And I get a real buzz out of seeing stuff like that. It does the job. It's fun to watch, but it's also inspiring."

Simon, who has helmed the show since its creation in 2007, says the team has turned its focus on social media growth to attract international audiences.

Britain's Got Talent currently has 21 million subscribers on its official YouTube channel, with billions of total views.

The appointment of KSI, whose real name is Olajide "JJ" Olatunji and who has more than 60 million followers across his social channels, is intended to help expand the show’s reach.

"I think that since [2009 singing sensation] Susan Boyle, we've been lucky enough to just embrace it," says Simon of the show's online appeal.