Lucy Kennedy confirmed Ireland’s Got Talent will be returning but revealed bosses are trying to fit the date around Louis Walsh’s return to the X Factor.
She also told that Michelle Visage’s rumoured stint on Strictly Come Dancing could also delay the return date.
Speaking of the hit show, the presenter told the Irish Daily Mirror: “I’ve got a lot on, I’ve got Living With Lucy and Ireland’s Got Talent.
"We are just finalising the dates because Louis is doing the X Factor and Michelle is doing Strictly so I think we are going to work around their schedules.
“Well there are rumours that she is doing Strictly, but it isn’t confirmed - but if she was I’d put my money on her.
“Now I haven’t spoken to her and that hasn’t been confirmed. I literally heard that in work and pretended that I knew because I adore Michelle and I like to think that she tells me everything.”
Meanwhile, confirming the return of head judge Louis Walsh despite his re-signing with the X-Factor, she said: “Yes, definitely, he is the head judge.
“Louis does this with every program he is a part of he plays hard to get but in the end he always succumbs - what else is he gonna do?
“He loves it, he thinks he created it. He thinks he is Simon.
“It is coming back - it is just a case of when.”
TV viewers slammed the show’s format last year after 39-strong dance group BSD were crowned winners.
Commenting on the controversy, Lucy said: “No there won’t be a format change.
"Obviously it is brilliant that loads and loads of people apply but the dancing is sometimes a little bit difficult to manage.
“People just get so annoyed but in our position, what can we do? What do you say to a group of eight-year-olds kids, 'sorry you can’t apply'? It’s a tricky one.
“So all will be looked at.
Meanwhile, commenting on ‘rival’ reality show Dancing With The Stars, she said: “It’s a national TV station and it is very hard to compete with RTE in terms of the ratings.
"Most people, even say my mum and dad in-law from Carlow and growing up, all of our parents had RTE One on a lot and I came from RTE and I’m a fan.
“But I think well, there is no competition because they are celebrities as well and ours are just normal people doing something extraordinary, so they are two very different shows and it is very hard to compete.
"But I really like that and in fact I want my friend Colm Hayes to do it, I want to see him in lycra.”
However, looking forward to her return to the helm of IGT, she admitted she’s hoping for a surprise visit from Simon Cowell this year.
She said: “But it is hugely popular and it Simon’s favourite Got Talent, which is always nice and he is the boss so if he is happy, I am happy.
“I’ve been waiting for two years, he was supposed to come twice.
“He was supposed to fly over but then Ant got into all his bits of trouble so Simon had to stay and rescue Britain’s Got Talent so I missed by opportunity there.
