David Walliams has said acts that had been “a bit snobby” about appearing on Britain’s Got Talent auditioned for the show after Covid-19 lockdowns.
The comic and author, who sits on the judging panel alongside Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon, said the pandemic had been so tough that many performers simply thought, “We need this”.
The ITV variety contest is returning to screens after being cancelled in 2021.
Difficulties in filming amid the pandemic were compounded because acts travel from all over the UK and sometimes abroad to take part in the show.
Describing the atmosphere during filming at the London Palladium theatre, Walliams, 50, said: “I think it’s pretty celebratory, because if you’re a performer, you’re out doing clubs, and pubs and things, you might not have had an opportunity to perform for a long time. So I could see it was quite emotional for people to be back on stage.
“Obviously people are emotional to go on stage in the Palladium, because it’s the home of entertainment in the UK, the likes of Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli have all been on that stage.
“There is something really magical about going on stage and 3,000 people are all giving a round of applause. It’s a wonderful feeling.
“Not everyone gets to do that. I mean, most people don’t. Most of us don’t, who maybe aren’t performers, get to experience that. So I think it’s kind of emotional and meaningful.
“I also think some people who might have been a bit snobby about doing the show have come on this year because they felt like, ‘Well, the last year or so has been so tough, we need this. We would relish this opportunity to have this exposure, and have the chance of being at the Royal Variety Show’.”
Holden, 51, admitted she had become tearful during filming and described the feeling of returning to the show as “phenomenal”.
She added: “When I walked into the Palladium, that iconic building, and walked on to stage, I nearly burst into tears when I saw a proper audience there for the first time in so long.
“We’ve always classed the audience as our fifth judge and part of our BGT family, and to have them missing for all that time has felt really quite sad.
“So it was such an overwhelming and joyful moment to see them all in front of us. And they were well up for it. It felt like they’d missed us as much as we’d missed them.”
Britain’s Got Talent returns to ITV on Saturday April 16 at 8pm.