General: Britain's Got Talent, Season 3

My opinion of reality TV as a whole is not high. Watching Pop Idol, X Factor or the 101 other shows really alarms me at the number of truly deluded people who consider themselves to be talented. This in itself isn't so alarming, but in order to become talented, one must be able to recognise talent in others. So this trend demonstrates that a large proportion of the population has no respect for real talent.

When the first season of BGT came out, I was inundated by e-mails suggesting that we sign up for the next season and my gut reaction was to say no. I believe strongly that if someone has talent, they should do what everyone does - work hard and progress. I say this, while also being reminded of the sheer number of bands that I know that nobody has heard of, or the wasted talent out there from people who just haven't had "their break". So maybe in this case, my gut is wrong.

I have been reluctant to sign up for the show, as I feel it would be selling out somewhat. Dave and I have worked incredibly hard on Think Bikes to get it where it is today and we're not a pair of clueless fools waiting for someone to sweep us up in their arms and show us what to do with ourselves.

However, a few weeks back I got a phone call from a "researcher" at BGT, who really wanted us to be part of the show. Somehow, being asked felt less dirty than signing up ourselves, and the thought of 15 Million people watch us set my marketing alarm right off. So we agreed to take part. Being phoned the next week, just to make sure we had signed up (as they couldn't find us on the register), and being phoned again the day before by no less than two BGT employees was a promising sign that our attendance would be appreciated.

So, as we had a demo on the 29th in Wolverhampton, instead of signing up for the London "auditions", we signed up for Birmingham and stayed the night with Jeremy Spencer in his lovely country manor. It was Andy's 18th birthday, so naturally he got a bed time story and a cup of hot cocoa.

Just before we left, I spent a few hours putting together a show reel and some promotional photography into a nice pink folder. I also visited Peacocks, where I bought 3 matching outfits on our small budget. These don't look great, but I wanted to bring across the fact we were a team and we weren't allowed to wear Tarty Bikes branded clothing, like we usually do.

So we turned up at the event, where I was greeted by the chap I had spoken to on the phone previously. Whilst in the "holding room", he made us a nice ~4m diameter circle where Dave and Andy could ride. They wanted footage of us warming up as something interesting happening in the room. I guess I should mention at this point that I won't be riding due my knee injury - I'm still waiting for doctors to stop screwing me around and do something instead of just telling me to stop riding (two months off a bike and climbing stairs is still painful...).

After being interviewed for information about Think Bikes, what we do, what we'd do if we won etc. etc. we were positioned sitting in a group with the bikes in front of us (with the thinkbikes.com stickers nicely in show). We then talked amongst ourselves, spending a large proportion of the time telling "your mum" jokes - so I really hope the microphone wasn't actually picking anything up we were saying. I was under the impression they were after footage that gave the impression we were talking things through. "Don't you worry about falling off, let me worry about blank".

After a 15-20 minute wait we were taken off to the audition, which is essentially a chat with the producers of the show. I handed over the information and talked to them about us to the best of my ability. I am rather verbose in person, so that is something I don't struggle with. Then Andy and Dave did some riding, before I jumped on the ground and let them ride all over me - something I really wish I'd had put in the show reel.

All in all, I think things went well - but nothing is a certainty. Any sort of television appearance would be great promotion for us and the sport. I have no doubt that we will make for good entertainment - otherwise people wouldn't be paying large sums of money to see us perform all over the UK. In fact, if we didn't get through, it would challenge our entire raison d'etre.

Eventually, some of the trials riders in the UK would have ended up on the show - so it may as well be a professional demonstration team with no qualms about riding in front of large audiences. I'd like to think we are doing a service for every trials rider out there in promoting our under dog of a sport.

Now, I have a wait until February to find out what is happening. The sooner we know the better, so we can condense down what is normally a 30 minute show into 3 minutes. With me choreographing, I think we should come up with something interesting

I'd love to! But I don't think I can afford to - silly university!

Just sitting in bed at Jeremy's before I drive home, after our audition in Birmingham yesterday. The good news is that we got through

The day was really quite tiring for us, partly because we were up at 6am in order to get to the venue on time. But there was also a hell of a lot of waiting around, which in itself is tiring. We didn't perform until 6pm at a guess and didn't leave until 8:30/9. The problem is, you're on adrenalin as soon as you turn up as you want to get it over with, and your body can only do that for so long - so you get the eventual come down and desire to nap.

Although we had a couple of crumpets and coffee in the morning before we left, we ate half a flap jack each all day, until we got through and celebrated with some pic 'n mix. It wasn't so much that we didn't want to eat, but we were being told we were needed for interviews with various people at so many points that we didn't really feel we could leave the spot easily.

Throughout the day, we got interviewed about six times I'd say - so it was really good practice for us. The more time you spend in front of a camera the easier it becomes. There were some tricky to answer questions as unlike most acts, Think Bikes is a business as well as an act, which made the questions somewhat ambiguous. One of our interviewers, Natasha, was smoking HOT, which was also a bit of a distraction (sorry Hannah - the public need to know!).

So after a lot of waiting we walked into the bright lights and explained to the three judges who we were and what we were doing. I walked off stage and ran round to the other side, ready for my dramatic entrance.

Fairly early on, Piers buzzed, but Andy and Dave carried on regardless. The section I was most worried about, was where Dave jumps backwards on to his front wheel and sits on his handle bars no handed. Then Andy comes along and jumps over his bike. If anything was to go wrong, it would be this, but they nailed it and the audience loved it. Even I let off a shout of enjoyment from the wing.

Just as was running on, Amanda buzzed. Andy told me that at this point, he was starting to wonder if we weren't going to get through, but before long the show was over and the audience was certainly being appreciative.

Piers had buzzed because he was bored. Amanda has also buzzed because she was bored, but then said that she regretted doing so, because as soon as I came on, she could see there was the danger element she was looking for.

Simon was my biggest concern as I was expecting him to be very cynical, yet he had nothing negative to say. He said he liked it, he'd seen a lot of teams and really enjoyed what we'd done. He then went on to suggest improvements, such as the use of fire, something we'd already been discussing back stage. Amanda however seemed more interested in the idea of getting Piers on stage to be ridden over instead of me. The worrying thing was that she suggested he be naked! Whatever floats her boat I guess...

We got three votes for YES and we walked off stage with a smile on our face. Ant and Dec greeted us and I gave Ant a surprise hug, so I can add him to my list of celebs I've hugged. But at this point all we really wanted to do was go home and we ended up hanging around for at least an hour and a half for another two interviews. Credit goes to the BGT crew though because it must be a grueling affair.

So what happens next? The next "stage" is Feb 7th, where we literally turn up and get told if we're going through the LIVE semi-finals. So realistically, the votes we got were irrelevant as the real decision gets made from the video footage at a later date where they can talk amongst themselves. I really hope that having Simon on our side will go well for us I think he'll be able to crack the whip if Amanda and Piers start wavering.

We played a risky tactic with our performance by holding back so that we had somewhere to go once we got through. The highest obstacle was a foot off the ground and the biggest gap was 3ft - well below what we can handle. This could still backfire on us when they look through the footage, but I hope not.

We've already been discussing through ideas for the next piece so that we are prepared for the next audition and we think it's going to take some lateral thinking to get any further. Thinking Caps for Thinking Bikes at the ready

Yays!!

Nice one Spode, but be careful hugging all these celebs. you might find you become one yourself!

hey there, estelle here
i will be there on feb 7th too with my family (Good Evans) so look forward to saying "howdy". we got through on 25th jan in birmingham and although we didnt get buzzed at all, simon hated myself and my husband in the band, but loved the kids, especially my 13 year old son Elliot, so let hope we are both successful and get to go through to the live semi-finals xx

Well I'm in the hotel, posting thanks to my trusty 3G Dongle (thanks to 3 Mobile for providing that). I've just stolen a Double Decker from the mini-bar because I haven't eaten since 1 and there is a sandwich winging its way to me as we speak.

I'm a little annoyed that I had to cut my time at Launch48 a little short - but more on that in my next post

Being whisked away at 9:30am tomorrow where I imagine it'll be a lot more waiting around, before inevitably being told we're not going through...

There are around 250 acts that got through to this round, of which it is being simmered down 40-43 acts. I'd like to think that we'd be in the top 40 categories of act in the country - but I just don't know. I have no idea what the competition is and I have no idea on what reasons they choose who goes through - so it's hard to be confident or nervous. I just "am". I've bought two laptops and plenty of things to do, so hopefully I can get some stuff done while I'm sitting around for 12 hours again...

Anyone else who is reading this and is competing against us (as I realise this ranks fairly high in Google) - good luck! However, if you're a singer, I rescind my well wishes as I still strongly believe they shouldn't be in BGT. This is the only television show where an act like Think Bikes can enter, so fuck off back to the X Factor... (yeah, you heard me)

Well that just sucks. You are taking it very well. A lot better than I would have. Speaks volumes of you. Here's to getting to the April show and getting your much deserved press time.

hi
sorry you didnt get through to the live shows. It was an exhausting and etremely boring day (especially for the kids) but an experience all the same.
I can't believe they made youwait till 8pm its ridiculous.
I had a gig that night in Coventry at 9pm but didnt get back till nearly 10pm and that was after leaving tout suite and racing down the platform with no shoes on!

I think its been a tough competition all round this year and will hopefully be entertaining in the right way.
Lets hope we all come off looking ok and with our reputations in tact!

On Saturday, I saw the first of the new series of Britain's Got Talent – Series 3. Considering I've only ever watched a single episode (and not all the way through), this was a new experience to me whilst simultaneously nerve wracking.

Now that I've seen the first episode, I'm beginning to regret being on the show, with a whole host of concerns for our reputation. I am incredibly concerned at how simple it would be to edit the footage of us to make us look like complete idiots, or for our “fame” to be directly and permantly attributed to BGT and not through our own means. They are in the business of making entertaining TV – not maintaing our reputation.

Watching the first episode – there is no doubt in my mind that it was entertaining. It's cheap entertainment, but still entertainment. You get a nice mixture of cringe worthy and amazing all in one mouthful. However, I also couldn't help but be insulted at seeing some of the acts that got through and the reasoning for doing so. I'll await the final insult when I see who got through to the live rounds.

But what occurs to me is that it wouldn't be at all insulting if it wasn't dressed up as a competition. Because let's face it – it's not really about talent – the whole thing is a entirely staged with the intention of making interesting TV. After all – why else would they give a spot light to a man attempting to eat Ferrero Roche, instead of us?

Personally, I actually quite like the show – out of all the reality TV shows, it's the only one I have any time for, but I really wish they would change the structure. Instead of the high pressure, pretend like it's a competition scenario. Why not just make it like one giant variety show? Almost an open mic night for talent. By all means make people put in a paper/video audition before hand to decide if they are appropriate or not – but every week, you could just have a string of 2-minute performances. I'd watch that!

Another thing that annoys me, is how every contender has spent several hours waiting around for their time on the stage, not to mention potentially weeks of preperation and yet at the slight hint of boredom the judges will simply buzz you out. Is it really that horrific for them to sit still for 2 minutes while somebody has their moment?

A man I saw this week had a hugely ellaborate setup with fruit and a chain saw and was starting to cut them up before being buzzed out completely. Who knows what wonders he had in store? Part of showmanship, is building up to a grand finale. In our 25 minute Think Bikes demonstrations – do you think we come in all guns blazing? If we did, we'd soon dissappoint as they discover we have reached our limit. This practice is detremental to the entertainment industry – it's bad enough that people want instant entertainment, without this.

I'm not bitter at all (hmmm – I hear you say). We got three votes for yes and got through to the last 150 acts. That's probably about right, judging by what we showed them on stage and being realistic, a bike act didn't realy have a chance of winning. My intention was always to simply get free marketing.

We were told that bringing equipment was difficult – so we limited our rigging to simply two small 1ft high and 6ft long platforms. Yet already, as I saw this week – one chap had a van on stage and a unicyclist had an 8 foot high tower, 4 foot high tower and a selection of pallets! I imagine that would have taken some time to setup. A little frustrating to say the least.

So, naturally I'm going to keep watching – although BritainsGotTalent.net is putting up video clips of every entry (highly illegal I'm sure). I just can't help but be concerned at how we will come out.

Apparantly the other 3 bike teams all made mistakes, whilst we didn't. Which makes more entertaining TV – people falling off, or people doing it right? I know for a fact that one of the teams was absoluetely ridiculed. Quite what we did so differently to have Simon Cowell on our side – who knows. But I would say the chances are higher that we don't get any air time and they instead show the team having their arses handed them.

Some might argue that seeing our competitor in this way could only mean good things. However, many people know that Think Bikes are expected to be on BGT and seeing a team on bikes, it would be very easy to put two and two together and assume it was us. So any bike team having their reputation tarnished, probably would have a knock on effect to our own. The last thing I want to do is issue a “that wasn't us” press release!

Finally – if they do manage to edit up our interviews in such a way that puts us in a light we don't like. How do we stand legally? Can I sue them for deformation of character? Perhaps that would be a sure fire way of getting that £100,000

Oh dear, The press (any public media) is awful. I had a problem when the local paper got hold of the story when I was the 500th person to pass my advanced driving test from an adult education course at a local school in Crawley Sussex. 1987 it was.
After passing, the reporter interviewed me asking all the usual stupid questions, "how do you feel" etc. What was printed was just made up by some hack I guess as it bore no resemblance to what I had said. Being a local lad, they thought it would be only right a proper if a few double negatives and general bad grammar was added! as that's the way most Crawley people speak, I was furious. After complaining they did print extremely small retraction a few months later that actually said nothing of any use. I also keep well away from the media now, I don't even say "no comment"

I suppose if you need the publicity you just have to take your chances that the reporting comes out in your favour.

Posted By: mezz09

if you realy needed advertising, then that was a pointless way to go, BGT is barely likely to show you at all, sinse they like to show the entire act and yours was so long AND you're a commercial group, meaning they expect you to do it for publicity, which they don't want. next time you want cheap publicity, ask my sister. (you know her) she's a journalism student living in portsmouth with some reputation in a local paper, just say basically what you have here, and it will make both you and her a legend in portsmouth.

basically, big t.v. companys SUCK, sisters that do journalism rule.

Do you have any idea how little advertising you'll get from a local newspaper? We are in them all the time when we do shows. Not only is the audience small, but it's too niche and the context is wrong. I get more advertising through Spode's Abode. Not that I take your offer lightly - it's much appreciated

15 MILLION people watch BGT. That's a risk worth taking! They knew we were commercial when they asked us to audition...

This a cutting from The Radio Times. So I can only assume we're being shown at some point soon?

http://twitpic.com/3rbb5 - This cutting. For some reason the embed didn't work.

Anyone reading this for the first time - it's worth going back to page one and reading from the beginning. This thread talks about the experience of being on Britain's Got Talent from the very first phone call.

After watching the first few episodes, I was convinced we weren't going to get shown on TV. However, after this clipping in the Radio Times - I started getting my hopes up - nay, advertising the fact that we were going to be on the show. I mean - after all, why on earth would this photo be shown?

The only way such an image could have been used, was if Talk Back Thames had released this image - we don't even have it. So why would they release images of acts that weren't going to be shown? Perhaps we were a last minute cut - maybe they read my blog

So after all of our hard work, waiting around and general stress - what is the fruit of our labours?

Amazing - that was really worth it - my quarter second of BGT exposure. However, while talking this through with Dave last night - one of our increasing concerns was them showing us in a bad light - or any of the bike teams. Not only did they not show us - they didn't show anyone else. So in many respects - this is a positive outcome.

I'm really surprised at this though. The UK has some of the most talented mountain bike trials riders in the world (no, not me...) so why on earth aren't we showing this? I think the Queen would love to see a representation of this community.

One comment that has stuck with me, was what Piers Morgan said at our audition.

Piers Morgan

I could go to any skate park in the country and see this - albeit not to your standard.

What a ridiculous comment. That's like saying you can go to a karaoke night anywhere in the country and see a singer. Not only that - but ours was a 2 minute, synchronised demonstration of a sport that you won't ever find in a skate park. Amanda and Piers are complete tools and their opinion is worth diddly squat. I do however have a lot of respect for Simon.

Watching the final episode last night - I must admit, I was a little annoyed seeing some of the acts that got through. Apparantly a 73 year old "break dancer" claiming benefits for disability is more talented than us. Who knew?

In many respects - I think us not getting through happened for a good reason. We're solidly booked every weekend from now until something like the middle of August. If we'd got through it would have severely disrupted our bookings and could have actually had a negative impact on our business as a whole. Also - could we really have coped with the sudden influx? Or business model is designed for gradual growth, not explosive popularity.

Some of you might have seen us perform at The Gadget Show Live. This was a complete contrast to BGT. To start with - we got paid, something we're used to. We were also treated like humans and got a lot of respect from everyone working on the show - something else we're used to. Sure beat days of waiting around, unpaid, treated like cattle - sitting in a room full of people with Mad Fame Disease.

The performance we did for The Gadget Show is very closely based on what we did for BGT - so as you didn't get to see it on TV - here it is.

From doing BGT, I think I could probably work out what to do to get further next time. But frankly, we're not going to lower ourselves to do that and we're certainly not going to move away from our true nature - I don't think it'll do us any good at all. I think BGT has a lot to answer for. So here I am, with my final blog post, drawing a line under the topic once and for all

Posted By: Lorna

To be perfectly honest, I didn't think it was worth watching BGT, even on the off chance you'd be on, so I've seen < 5 mins of it this year, and even that was an accident. The 5 minutes I did see however, included the barmy operatic florists. I didn't spot you.

If I wasn't involved - I wouldn't have watched it either.

Blink and you'd have missed me

Like the Gadget Show video!

As for BGT, if they've got your act on video, there's always the possibility that it will be shown on TV in some other spin of programme.

Perhaps, they weren't interested because they can't make an easy buck out of your hard work, in they way they can with singers and music rights, etc.