Popular British town that will be 'BGT's new home' has huge violent crime rate

is reportedly making Blackpool its new permanent home for auditions. While the northern seaside town has captured the hearts of judges and producers, new figures have revealed a troubling reality about the area's crime rate. BGT judge 54, hailed Blackpool as "the future" of the ITV programme after the 18th series held a string of lively audition days at the town's historic Winter Gardens.

She spoke about the local crowd's enthusiasm, saying: "They were super warm and brilliantly up for it, and very loud. It felt like the show was appreciated and wanted up there. I honestly think we won't go back to London after that. Blackpool, I think, is the future for our auditions, and we all loved it."

While the town may have been a hit with the BGT team, recent crime statistics paint a very different picture of what life is like for locals who live in the seaside spot.

According to new data released this March, Blackpool's crime rate stands at a staggering 55.2 crimes per 1,000 people. This rate is 59 percent higher than the national average.

Even more concerning is the proportion of violent crime. Of all incidents reported, 34.4 percent fall under the violent category, with a total of 14,900 violent crimes recorded between March 2024 and February 2025. This represents a 1.1 percent yearly increase, suggesting this is a persistent issue.

Despite its "faded glory", as Holden affectionately described it, Blackpool still holds a special place in the hearts of performers.

The TV personality spoke fondly of the town, saying: "The people that I've met, I have been around for a long time in this industry, all honed their acts in the working men's clubs in the north with really hard audiences to please. If you can make it there you can literally make it anywhere."

While Blackpool does have a rich entertainment legacy, the decision to base Britain's Got Talent auditions firmly in the town may be a problematic one if the crime rate impacts the show, which has always been proudly inclusive and accessible.

Despite the problems locals have with increasing violence in the area, Holden has described the seaside town as a place where "dreams can become a reality overnight".

A source close to the show also previously claimed: "BGT is a show that hangs on the audience and how they react - and basically, the crowd in Blackpool are absolutely brilliant. The Palladium is such an iconic venue but if you compare the shows in Blackpool to the ones they have filmed in London, the audience is way more up for it there."