'I'll risk my life for Britain's Got Talent': Sword swallower Alexandr Magala's shock pledge as new series begins

Alexandr Magala during his audition (Syco/Thames TV/PA Wire)

Viewers saw Alexandr Magala’s potentially-lethal act last night as he put the deadly blades right down his throat.

And speaking to The Sunday Post from his Los Angeles home Alexandr, 26, admitted: “People have died doing this and it’s just a matter of time for me if I go on.

“Everyone has tried to talk me out of it. But if it’s my destiny, then it’s a beautiful thing to die for.”

The BGT judging panel (Thames TV/ SyCo TV)

Moldovan-born Alexandr, who got four yeses, is a BGT veteran.

He has won the Russian version, was a finalist in the American and Italian versions and appeared in the Ukraine and French shows, too.

But he says BGT is the show that inspired him to take up his perilous act in the first place and has nothing but admiration for show boss Simon.

“Every year the show needs to up its game and I’m ready to risk my life to save the show and help Simon,” he joked.

Previous series abroad have already seen him close to death.

“When I did America’s Got Talent I punctured my lung and it was just millimetres from my heart,” he said.

Meanwhile, ITV’s biggest hit show was back to its bizarre – even barking mad – best.

It’s the 10th series and the foreign theme was evident right from the start with opening act Vitaly Voronko. The 25-year-old, from Belarus, took to the stage playing an accordion in a bright yellow Superman-style outfit.

Despite being blasted by Cowell as “one of the worst things ever”, he was voted through by the fellow judges.

But Simon was soon smiling when perky pooch Trip Hazard took to the stage. After two previous dog acts won the show, 30-year-old Lucy from Leicestershire’s hopes of making it a hat-trick were kept alive when they got yeses.

And Amanda Holden wasted no time in using her Golden Buzzer.

Thirteen-year-old Beau Dermott, from Widnes, captivated Amanda with her powerful rendition of Defying Gravity from Wicked.

Lorraine Kelly: It’s a tough world… even if you have the X Factor