Simon Cowell blames the BBC for rivalry

Britain's Got Talent supremo Simon Cowell has accused the BBC of "silly rivalry" over the competition between his show and The Voice.

Both shows start tomorrow and go head to head for around 20 minutes in the primetime Saturday night schedule.

Speaking at the press launch for ITV1's Britain's Got Talent, Cowell said he would "probably watch about five minutes" of the BBC show which features Tom Jones and Jessie J among the judges searching for a singing star.

Cowell also revealed he had tried to sign up former Strictly Come Dancing judge Alesha Dixon for the X Factor before she quit the ballroom show to join BGT.

He said: "The Voice was 100 per cent intended to be a competing show to X Factor so I thought, 'Great, we'll nick Alesha'."

Alesha denied her move was motivated by money and said she wanted to do "different things" after several years on the Strictly panel.

She said: "It's a different vibe on this show. I have to say in all honesty, on this show I feel like I've come into myself."

Cowell said the BBC was deliberately ramping up the rivalry and said the corporation should "get their sense of humour back".

He said: "When you get to the point with your shows that you mess around with the schedules and it affects the viewers when you go head to head, that to me is silly rivalry."

Cowell said he loved "competition", but added that he would "query" if there was a need for another singing talent show.