Why dance needs a Simon Cowell

I have more and more time for Simon Cowell. On Britain’s Got Talent on Saturday night he was dishing out his hard-faced reality check to the parade of wannabes who as usual range from silly asses through competent-karaoke to on-the-money in Sycospeak. I also admire the wily care for words with which he crafts his highest possible praise – ‘You’re probably quite honestly one of the best we’ve ever had on this competition.’ At least five legal outs there.

Meanwhile over on the BBC’s first Young Dancer competition live on BBC Two, ‘they were all winners’, every one of them, according to the beaming presenters. Just competing makes you a winner, yes, we know. Now, I don’t mind that on Masterchef when the contestants are amateurs. And the much maligned Beeb does a hell of a lot of well intentioned pro-artists stuff (eg Radio 3 Young Artist, the BBC Young Musician competition, and the now closing Performing Arts Fund, which launched Adele).