It's a yes from BGT veterans like Shrewsbury's Zoe Cooper

It has the ability to turn amateur dance groups into Hollywood-bound jetsetters.

And this weekend hundreds more hopefuls will be awaiting their turn in nervous anticipation for their audition with the Britain's Got Talent judges.

The search has already started for the 2014 winner, with the juggernaut audition roadshow arriving in the West Midlands today, at Birmingham's ICC for a three-day run.

Thousands of acts queued for hours in October to take their chances in front of the ITV show's producers as part of the open auditions and now, those deemed good enough – or indeed bad enough – get the opportunity to show their stuff in front of Amanda Holden, David Walliams, Alesha Dixon, and everyone's favourite panto baddie Simon Cowell.

All four can cruelly dash the hopes of anyone not up to scratch, shattering any dreams they had of their name up in lights with one press of a big red, buzz-emitting button. Four strikes and you're out.

Oh, and then there's the live studio audience of thousands that will either sing, dance, chant or boo along dependant on the talent, how cute they find the act or how sorry they feel for those willing to embarrass themselves on the grandest scale.

And if that were not nerve-racking enough, auditionees then put their reputation and dignity on the line as millions tune in to the increasingly-popular variety show, aired in late spring and hosted by housewives' favourites Ant and Dec.

That's all in the hopes of performing on stage in front of HM the Queen, with a slot at the Royal Variety Performance up for grabs. Not to mention the £250,000 jackpot and the promise of contracts that could see them become internationally famous.

The region has already proved it is a hotbed of talent. And you don't have to win the show to find it starting to open doors.

Zoe Cooper, from Shrewsbury, was one quarter of the synchronised swimming troupe Aquabatique.

Last summer, the 29-year-old rounded off one of the biggest 12 months of her life by making a splash on the big screen.

Life has been something of a rollercoaster since she found fame on Britain's Got Talent in 2012. Zoe has since appeared on Splash! with Olympic diving hero Tom Daley, tied the knot with footballer fiance Andrew Reeve at a BGT-themed bash at a Shropshire castle and spent three days at a film studios filming her part in a new movie.

Zoe married Andrew, her partner of three years, at Rowton Castle, near Shrewsbury back in March, complete with a Britain's Got Talent theme at the reception.

"Britain's Got Talent was always something that the Aquabatique girls wanted to do."

And they were a hit with the judging panel and the public who voted them through to the finals, where the eventual winner was Ashleigh and Pudsey.

Zoe added:?"I wouldn't say Britain's Got Talent changed my life but it enhanced my life. Two weeks after the show I had been asked to model and launch the Nichole De Carle swimwear range."

Britain't Got Talent also changed the life of Kate Nicholas from Norbury, near Whitchurch. Kate and her dog and Gin warmed the cockles of our hearts in 2008 as they took to the stage to show off their dancing moves.

"All my life I've searched for another Lassie and now I've found him!" Cowell said. Gin the boogeying dog soon became the favourite to win, but in the end failed to make the final three.

Nevertheless, the exposure opened many doors. She got a book deal, and her tips on how to training your dog to dance – and keep fit at the same time – was a critically-acclaimed success.

Kate is now working with the army helping to trains dog to sniff out explosives in Afghanistan.

Another who took on and survived the terrifying process was organist Jean Martyn from Brewood in Staffordshire, who rose to fame by making it to the last stage in 2011.

Since then Jean has gone on to perform at Buckingham Palace three times and collaborated with artists including Dame Vera Lynn and the Army Wives – as well as becoming a star at Shrewsbury's Buttermarket.

The grandmother-of-three said: "I remember walking in on my first audition with my electronic piano under my arm. Before you meet the judges you have to perform in front of two people and a camera, it was very nerve-racking.

"Once you're finished they just say thank you and you leave.

"It's like going to the GP's surgery and being confronted by the doctor and not being sure if it's good or bad news. My first time in front of the judges was at the Manchester Apollo. I had Michael Macintyre, Amanda Holden and David Hasslehoff.

"I was the last act to go on stage and I was just glad to be playing. When I had finished there was a standing ovation, it was fantastic.

"I still watch the show and enjoy. I love Britain's Got Talent, it's the nearest thing to a variety show on TV these days and really appeals to people in their middle ages who don't want to watch regular TV shows.

"It was a fabulous experience. Thanks to the show I am now fully booked all the way up until 2015."

The 62-year-old said she would encourage others to give it a go, but with the added caveat that there is more to it than just filling in a form and having a good singing voice.

"The judges are looking for more, you can't just turn up in the middle of the stage and sing, and you've got to be able to entertain them."

That's why, unlike X Factor, the BGT ratings remain as strong as ever. The fact is the British public loves a variety show, and it loves seeing people making a fool of themselves even more.