He's done it for years, but it's been even more striking this year because in Show 1 & 2 we've gotten acts that were MAJOR acts on AGT, that Simon as Exec. Producer almost definitely knew (because they were acts that went through multiple rounds).

So why does he say things like "I have no idea what we're about to see" and "I've never seen anything like that in my life". When honestly? He's seen these exact acts, even if just on recordings.

Just tell the truth Simon. What would it hurt?

This is what all 'reality TV' is nowadays. Everything is fake and set up but played like it's real.

Older people like me strongly object to this and don't actually see the point in it and it makes a complete nonsense of the whole thing.

However, younger people just don't seem to mind if whatever they are watching is completely fake or 100% real. Even their youtube videos are works of complete fiction which even include editing and special effects to achieve what is passed of as real.

Even worse is the all the judges asking questions to contestants as if they never knew them when they clearly have been briefed about them.

So the contestants get ask specific questions which will ensure they reveal their backstory. It is all part of the staged auditions to make perfect TV

The judges do get briefings, but I think they get it in the form of a briefing books they keep under the table, where they flip the pages as the acts come on. I recall the camerawork slipping on America's Got Talent and showing that once, and if that show has it I'm sure this one does too.

And of course as I said, Simon is part of the process of vetting and recruiting people in the first place, so of course he knows many of the acts (perhaps even beyond the obvious ones that won on other Got Talent shows or made it through multiple rounds on AGT, which he's always been a big part of).

Its one of the reasons why I dont watch anymore. How gullible (stupid) are the viewers who think any of this is actually "real". The worst part is when they sit there open mouthed and wide eyes gazing in amazement to an act which they have clearly already seen in rehearsal and know everything about.

It's a tricky one isn't it? Occasionally, when say an act is known to have performed at an event where say Simon has attended, the normally compliant showbiz journos have asked if the judges have seen acts before. Responses are always that judges weren't aware of them performing. Also BGT says judges never see producer only auditions or any pre-show rehearsals. It's hard to know if this is true or not.

The show also claims that it doesn't invite people to audition even though some acts admit that they were scouted and invited to apply.

I think most people give Simon the benefit of the doubt but he's pushing his luck making out he's never heard of AGT and other Got Talent finalists who show up in Britain. But in a world where soaps and cult dramas rule, it's no surprise that millions are happy to go along with Got Talent phoneyness.

It's entertainment and a show.

It sells and pulls in massive viewers. You watch it.. it's working.

Enjoy it for what it is, instead of always looking for a reason to hate. Well done you are smart enough to know a lot of what you see is fake and set up... does that make you enjoy it less!? probably not as you still watch it !

It's called escapism and the show gives us that.

This. ^^ I watched Pop Idol to begin with and then X Factor and BGT for a while and enjoyed them. But when they started to get all staged, judges playing up and acts had 'previous' - I just wasn't interested in watching them anymore.

I don't watch it until the live shows for exactly these reasons....fakery and hype that leaves me feeling that the programme makers are making the show for thick people ( the kind that think Ant and Dec Takeaway is funny).........maybe they are ......but don't count me in.

How judgemental . I watch BGT . I enjoy it for what it is . I know its fake and contrived and am by no means thick

If that is your attitude why do you watch the live shows? they are al cut from the same cloth..

But the viewers don't know anything about the contestants hence the judges asking them questions and letting us (the viewers) know about them.

Because there is only so much sodding about you can do as a programme maker with a live performance....

The same applies to Wrestling.

I regard all Cowell shows in the same category as WWE.

The pre-recorded shows may be but the live shows are genuine competitive performances which is why producer and bookies favourites like SuBo and Ronan Parke lost.

I see. So in your philosophy nobody should ever question overt silliness, and the least common denominator in Entertainment should always win out.

Entertainment as opium for the masses, basically. That's what you're endorsing.

It does seem to have a grip on the viewers, I would think most viewers are unaware of the fakery, unless they read it on here or in a tabloid.

Gullible is the term I would use rather than stupid.

People believe what they see and hear as real.

I didn't use the term stupid. I said "silly" (or actually "silliness").

id like to know this as well

To answer the thread title, I think you have to assume that not everyone who watches BGT has seen AGT or follows the world of celebrity to the extent that many on forum-world seem to do.

I certainly spend far too much time on DS and online in general but I honestly wouldn't know if any of the acts on BGT were on AGT because I've never seen any episodes of AGT aside from the odd Youtube clip.

I don't really think of what he does as "lying" but more in line with "selling" or playing a role - that's why i think the wrestling analogy is quite good because the commentators on that follow the same principle. They'll say they've never seen anything like that before when you know they've really seen it hundreds of times but you don't wonder why they "lie" because you know they're playing their roles as part of the overall production of the show.

If your idea of "escapism" is wallowing in excrement

In last night's show it was Simon's claim of the crossbow act that he had never seen an act like that in his entire life.

The world famous Hans & Helga Moretti were doing the same act (and more) for decades. He couldn't have possibly missed them.

The crossbow act was also a contestant on America's Got Talent. It is possible that Simon hadn't seen him before, but with the sheer amount of contestants that have been on other Got Talent shows appearing, it's very hard to believe that they're not being invited on by the Cowell and the producers.