ITV pushes back Britain's Got Talent live shows amid coronavirus pandemic
The pre-recorded audition episodes of the talent contest will be broadcast in the coming weeks
Britain's Got Talent's pre-recorded audition shows will be broadcast as originally planned in the coming weeks—but the live shows will be moved to later in the year amid the coronavirus pandemic.
ITV claimed that it was currently attempting to find a way to make the live shows work, as the latest government advice instructed everyone to stay at home save for very exceptional circumstances.
An ITV spokesperson said, "The Britain's Got Talent audition shows will broadcast on ITV in the next few weeks.
"We have been working with the brilliant production teams at Thames and Syco to find a way of making the live finals work, which were due to be broadcast at the end of May.
"However, in light of the latest government health guidelines and in line with our priority of safeguarding the well-being of everyone involved in our programmes, production of the live shows cannot go ahead as planned.
"The live finals will therefore be broadcast later in the year."
It is unclear when the new live shows would be, but with no certain end to the current pandemic, it is likely that it would not be until significantly later.
The first audition show will be broadcast next month, with judges Simon Cowell, David Walliams, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon all returning, and Ant and Dec presenting.
Last year's show was won by 89 year old singer Colin Thackery—who became the oldest winner in the show's history.
The split of the auditions and live shows follows on from The Voice, which also had to postpone its live shows.
