KSI was initially brought onto the judging panel as a guest judge on Britain’s Got Talent, but showrunners swiftly realised what a great addition he was and kept him on permanently. He’s now completed a full season on the show, and is likely to return for the next round of talent searching next year.
Aside from being an excellent personality, KSI’s presence on one of the UK’s biggest shows indicates a shifting trend in popular culture. Online influencers are now starting to play a bigger role in mainstream television.
BGT Has Always Adapted to Entertainment Trends
BGT is ingrained in British culture and has been a mainstay on television sets across the country since 2007. Part of the reason for its enduring success has been the way it has adapted to changes in society and popular trends. For example, it embraced the rise of social media in the 2010s, and also made sure it had a strong presence on YouTube. Now, many people discover it for the first time thanks to clips on these platforms.
There have also been updates to the format, with introductions such as the Golden Buzzer. There has been a greater focus on the storytelling side of things too, with contestants’ backstories often detailed to appeal to viewers’ emotions.
On top of that, the BGT brand has branched out into other platforms, helping more people to discover it. There’s the Britain’s Got Talent mobile app that acts as a supplement to the show, and there are even online bingo games with themed BGT rooms. These allow fans of the show to play and chat together about the much-loved talent show.
KSI Brings a Different Type of Fame to the Panel
The introduction of KSI is just another example of how BGT is in touch with the times. Online influencers have become just as important as traditional television and music celebrities for today’s generations, so it makes sense for them to get representation on popular television shows. Indeed, KSI fans who may not have watched BGT before may have been drawn to the show when they found out that he was on it.
The YouTube star has been described as “the best thing to happen to Britain’s Got Talent since Susan Boyle,” as he has breathed new life into a format that some believed was getting tiring. The fact that KSI managed to get to the prestigious position of BGT judge through the development of his own brand online also gives hope to younger fans who want to find similar levels of success.
Although some older viewers may not be happy with the introduction of an online influencer like KSI, it could be argued that this shift needs to happen. For traditional television to survive in an increasingly online world, there needs to be influencer crossovers to appeal to the digital crowd.
KSI’s role as a judge on BGT is seen by many fans as the logical step for the evolution of traditional television. Thanks to his popularity, it could open the floodgates for other influencers to pick up roles on popular shows.
