Simon Cowell to send talent show winner into space

Simon Cowell wants to launch the winner of Britain's Got Talent into space with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic organization.

The media mogul is set to return to the panel of his hit U.K. TV talent show later this year (12) alongside several new judges, and he is determined to make the series an out-of-this-world experience for the eventual winner.

Simon Cowell reveals business tycoon Branson, whose Virgin company is sponsoring the show, is keen to pay for the champion to join the space mission and perform in zero-gravity.

He tells Britain's The Sun, "Richard Branson is the sponsor of the show with Virgin. We are trying to work out a way so that the winner of the show gets to go up in the spacecraft and will be the first person to perform in space.

"I'm being serious... I would go on the spaceship myself - you have to have a lot of training. I love the idea that, if they are up for it, then they have the option of performing in front of the whole planet in space.

"I think it's great. Of course we have to think about the details, I mean, if you're a juggler then we'll need to make heavier balls. But I will make it happen. If it had been a few years ago Susan Boyle could have been singing Unchained Melody in front of the whole planet. This is worth tens of millions of pounds, but Richard genuinely is up for doing it. I'm not winding you up, Richard would pay for it. It can't be compulsory for the winner, but it will happen."