Onions, owls and Wonder Woman: Britain's Got Talent returns for 8th series

Amanda Holden returns for her eighth season of Britain's Got Talent. Credit: PA

Britain's got Talent is set to begin its eight series tonight with acts ranging from a roller-skating Wonder Woman to a man speed-eating a raw onion.

53-year-old Andrew Charlton's agility act along with his owl Rocky didn't quite manage to repeat the success of Pudsey the dog, with Amanda Holden telling him: "You're like a very old, unmagical Harry Potter".

Sean Wozencroft from Gloucester didn't fare much better as he tried to set a record for the time taken to eat a raw onion.

But more impressive were five-piece boyband Collabro, whose version of Stars from Les Miserables left Holden wiping away tears to tell them they were "bloody brilliant".

And when cabaret artist Mzz Kimberley performed in a Wonder Woman costume on roller skates, David Walliams told her: "If I was on Britain's Got Talent that is the act I would do".

This season's four judges: Alesha Dixon, David Walliams, Simon Cowell and Amanda Holden Credit: PA

The show's international appeal was reaffirmed with acts from as far afield as Ukraine, Greece and the United States all auditioning.

But after Hungaran Attraction's win last year, Simon Cowell hopes to prove that Britain really does have talent.