Seeing as this year is the 10th Anniversary, I really hope we have ten acts in each of the five semi-finals instead of nine like normal.

A total of 50 semi-finalists - so an extra five acts (usually 45).

Anyone else agree and think this would be a nice little homage to the 10th anniversary theme this year?

It would make the show far too long so no. Next question.

One more act per live show would only add an extra ten-fifteen minutes. Not that much longer.

They don't have an extra 15 minutes though, if you think to the usual scheduling they have to start at 7:30 so Emmerdale can air at 7 and finish for 9 in time for corrie so the results can thn air at 9:30.
Can't see ITV messing up the tried and tested schedule and trying to bend backwards to rearrange it for the sake of another filler act

They could easily add an extra act without comprising ad time or overall running length by cutting some of the filler

Easy can be done stop showing the audiance
Let the act go straight on stage no background action

Could just work the schedule like so:

7pm - Emmerdale
7:30pm - BGT
9:30pm - Coronation Street
10pm - BGT Results
10:30pm - ITV News

When are the lives this year

Monday 23rd May 2016
Tuesday 24th May 2016
Wednesday 25th May 2016
Thursday 26th May 2016
Friday 27th May 2016

Presuming the auditions end on Saturday 21st May/Sunday 22nd May.

I heard somewhere that they might have eight audition shows this year, with the final episode of auditions on Sunday 22nd May.

Auditions 1 - 9th April 2016
Auditions 2 - 16th April 2016
Auditions 3 - 23rd April 2016
Auditions 4 - 30th April 2016
Auditions 5 - 7th May 2016
Auditions 6 - 14th May 2016
Auditions 7 - 21st May 2016
Auditions 8 - 22nd May 2016

Not quite - Sunday 22nd to Thursday 26th with a football match on the Friday. The final is rumoured to be on Saturday 28th.

Oh right, when was this confirmed or revealed?

On Applause Store as they're selling the live audience tickets:
http://www.applausestore.com/book-br...mi-finals-2016

What I don't get is why it's started a week earlier this year so the live shows are not airing across half term week? It will be harder to get a younger audience watching (particularly the results) with school the next day.

Oh right, thank you.

Yes, that is true and for the young acts as they will have to go school after the live shows unless they take time off?

Will the schools accept that I wonder? The kid last night was from a drama school so I'd think that would be fine. But Beau and, if he makes it, the comedian? I'm not so sure.

They probably will. The semi finals ran in a school week in 2007 and 2012 and I don't think they ever encountered any issues. It's the sort of thing I'm sure they'd have cleared before putting them on TV. Although I'm hoping the kid comedian doesn't make it anyway. His jokes were terrible.

I don't get why they've done it either though. It has meant that:

- The final is on the same night as the Champions League Final
- The final is on a Bank Holiday weekend (usually lower ratings)
- The launch clashed with the final of The Voice
- The semi finals aren't in half term week
- The first semi final clashes with the launch of the new Top Gear

It just seems like really thoughtless scheduling.

Yeah this sounds about right from what I read

Schools will be proud of their pupils
Maybe they will have teachers whom will set work for them behind scenes

Please can you tell me.Has anyone received tickets for BGT,I have applied but not got my tickets that I applied for,so wondering if I am not going to get any.?
Thank you

Like the "hilarious" banter between the judges. We could lose about half an hour, great idea!