Travellers Got Talent to storm TV screens

The traveller community is hoping a gypsy version of 'Britain's Got Talent' could be the next big TV hit.

'Travellers Got Talent' will showcase the skills of gypsy singers, dancers and rappers in a Simon Cowell-style show, which will allow people to demonstrate their wacky talents.

Last summer, hundreds of performers with Romany and Irish roots took to the stage as part of a nationwide talent contest in Sussex - which was judged by Seamus Cullen from BBC One's 'Any Dream Will Do' - and TV bosses are now reportedly keen to transform the event into a huge hit.

Organiser Jake Bowers, of the Gypsy Media Company, admitted he has already received a huge amount of interest from telly chiefs.

He told the Daily Star newspaper: "When I was approached regarding the 'Big Fat Gypsy Weddings' series, I mentioned I had organised 'Travellers Got Talent' last year. People were very keen on it. There was a lot of interest in it.

"Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are perceived to be guilty of many things, but capable of nothing. But the final and the regional finals that led up to it quash that myth.

"They have all demonstrated that Gypsy, Roma and Traveller young people, in particular, have talents, skills and abilities that are largely unrecognised by the world beyond their communities."

Meanwhile, a Channel 5 executive has confirmed while there are no plans for such a show at present, they could be open to the idea of 'Travellers Got Talent' in the future.

The spokesperson said: "We have no plans to develop a show of this nature. But we can't say what is going to happen in the future."