Bruno Tonioli, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, and Simon Cowell gather at the Ham Yard Hotel April 16, 2024. for the exciting kickoff of the new Britain's Got Talent series. (Image: PA Images / Alamy)

Britain's Got Talent judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and Bruno Tonioli will be back on our screens for the 17th series of the ITV show on Saturday night. The hotly-anticipated series will kick off with the pre-recorded audition episodes, which will feature a record nine Golden Buzzer presses.

Usually, the four judges and co-hosts Ant and Dec are only allowed one each, which sends an act straight through to the show's semi-final stage, but since Bruno broke the rules last year in his series debut, BGT lawlessness has carried over into series 17.

There have been various rumblings within showbiz circles about certain acts performing well, but it remains to be seen which type of act will triumph this year, although people will still flock to casino sites to bet on it. 

Music Act Odds-On

Since opera singer Paul Potts won the inaugural BGT series in 2007, there have been a further five singers or music acts, including opera group Collabro - who triumphed in 2014 - who have tasted BGT glory.

Cowell has dropped a huge hint that there is a solo performer in the competition who has a big chance of victory. Such speculation has been further fuelled by rumours coming out of the pre-recorded auditions about there being an incredibly talented opera singer in this year's competition. 

The opera singer in question has been billed as the best opera star to have emerged from the contest since BGT's first-ever winner, Potts.

A singer or music act is a 4/6 favourite to win this year's BGT, which would see them follow in the footsteps of the likes of singer Colin Thackery, who triumphed in 2019; 2011 victor Jail McDowall; as well as pianist Tokio Myers, who was victorious in 2017's 11th series.

Cowell recently told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “This year, when we were discussing the finals, we went around the room and said who we thought might win and there was one person everyone gravitated towards." 

"It’s going to be interesting. I’m excited for this year, let’s see who the public picks as their winner." Cowell said.

However, the show judge has admitted he can't ever say what the public is going to do, especially after comedy clown Viggo Venn was voted last year's winner. 

Cowell said: "If you had told me after his first audition that Viggo was going to win, I’d be like, 'Yeah, right.' But then it happened. And the great thing about this show is that it doesn't matter."

"Whoever the public chooses, the public chooses, and I really think they get it right most years. I really, really do."

Comedy Act Could Have Last Laugh

It is just 2/1 that a comedian or novelty act repeats the feats of Venn and Axel Blake, comedians, who triumphed in 2022's 15th series. If so, it will be a hat-trick of comedy victories in the past three years, but is it time for another type of act to get back to winning ways? 

Cowell is known to be a huge fan of dog acts, but only two have ever won the competition. The last canine success story came in 2015, when Jules O'Dwyer and her dancing pet pooch Matisse triumphed. It is 3/1 that BGT series 17 features the first victorious dog act in nine years, while it's also 3/1 that a dance group or dance act triumphs.

Perhaps surprisingly, only two dance acts have won Britain's Got Talent in its 16-series history, and they both occurred early on. 

Dancer George Sampson won series two in 2008, and a year later, dance troupe Diversity made it two dance act victories in the first three series. Diversity are arguably one of the best known winners after they defeated one of, if not the, show's most incredible vocal discoveries in superstar singer Susan Boyle.

Magician To Repeat the Trick? 

There have been some brilliant BGT magicians over the years, but only one has ever won the show. Richard Jones is the first and, currently, last star to do so after he triumphed in 2016's 10th series, and a magician is 4/1 to repeat the trick in 2024. 

Elsewhere, it's 5/1 an acrobatics group can follow in the footsteps of 2010 victors Spellbound, while 2013's Attraction wowed the crowd with their stunning shadow theatre performances. 

It's 6/1 for a theatre group to emulate their success, or 8/1 for an opera group to capture the hearts of the nation as much as Collabro did. 

What Type Of Act Will Win BGT?

Here are the odds:

• Singer/ Music Acts 4/6
• Comedian/ Novelty Act 2/1
• Dance Group/ Dancer 3/1
• Dog Act 3/1
• Magician 4/1
• Acrobatics Group 5/1
• Theatre Group 6/1
• Opera Group 8/1