Dancing With The Stars boss Larry Bass said Virgin Media Ireland needs to bring back big budget shows such as Ireland’s Got Talent if it wants to survive.
The ShinAwiL chief was asked whether he would like to see the return of Ireland’s Got Talent on the network.
He said: “These are big shows. They’re expensive shows.
“It is something that in the current climate, they’re obviously, the resources maybe don’t stretch that far but hopefully they will be back. We need competition. We really do.
“If they want to get an audience they need to do it. Simple as.
“It is not rocket science. Television or radio, if you don’t have the right programmes on, people won’t listen or watch.”
When asked if he feels any added pressure with Maura Higgins and Kevin Kilbane taking part in rival Sunday show Dancing On Ice, Mr Bass said: “It makes you up you game and sharpen your pencil.
“That’s why we’ve upped a lot of things for this year so bring it on.”
He said: “It did very well. I don’t know yet. It is very early doors. We’ll wait and see.
“Like a lot of these shows , you need to see how they will sustain over a period of time and if you’re looking for a show to replace dancing, it needs to show that it hits all the demographic, all the age groups and sustain for 12 weeks over two hours.
“That isn’t an easy ask so I think The Masked Singer is a really good fresh show.
“It has a fresh trick. It was very similar to when I watched the voice the first time and seen the chairs spinning around – I never seen a talent show that did that.
“But lets see how it sustains because when the Voice, there was an issue with it after you went through the blind auditions, it really did tail and it was the same as every other talent show.”
And joking about who he’d put on the show if it ever makes it way over here, he added: “I’d put Twink on anything. I think she is fantastic. She is definitely one of Ireland’s greatest ever entertainers.
“She would be brilliant in anything she does. She is the one person who can sing, dance, act and tell jokes.”
