SOME of the hottest names in show business won fame by showcasing their skills on talent shows.
Where would the likes of Leona Lewis, Will Young and Susan Boyle be without their time under the spotlight?
Over the years, TV programmes such as Opportunity Knocks, New Faces, Pop Idol, Britain's Got Talent and X Factor have highlighted the acting, singing, dancing, acrobatic, martial arts and instrument playing heroes who have become a major part of our popular culture.
Glasgow's very own Pop Idol winner, Michelle McManus, shot to fame after winning the 2003 series of the show, beating rival Mark Rhodes.
The Evening Times columnist and former Baillieston girl had a spate of chart hits with songs including her debut single, The Meaning of Love, and number-one hit All This Time, before going on to present STV's The Hour.
She said: "Being on Pop Idol was one of the most positive experiences of my life. I would never have had the success I had without it."
Michelle is also a big fan of The Voice and judge Tom Jones. She said: "I watch The Voice and I like it, I like the judges."
But Michelle thinks the X Factor has become too focused on "sob stories".
She added: "There is too much focus on the judges."
But talent shows are by no means a new phenomenon. As far back as the 1950s the Carroll Levis Discovery Show, presented by Canadian talent scout Carroll Levis, was airing on TV.
Children were given the chance to show off their talents on TV for the first time and famous faces including actor and TV and radio presenter Nicholas Parson and Lenny the Lion ventriloquist Terry Hall first made a name for themselves.
Opportunity Knocks went on air in the sixties and seventies, churning out big names including comedy poet Pam Ayres, comedian Les Dawson and Su Pollard, who was famously beaten to the top spot by a singing dog.
Famed for its Clapometer, contestants gathered points depending on how loud the audience clapped for them.
Famous Scottish names to emerge from the show include Eddie Large of Little and Large, Neil Reid, Brenda Cochrane, Middle of the Road, and the late Lena Zavaroni.
New Faces, which enjoyed stints in the 1970s and 1980s, was the first talent show to have a judging panel and studio audience panel.
Famed for their outspoken tendencies, judges included record producers and songwriters Tony 'The Hatchet Man' Hatch and Mickie Most.
Pantomime star of Glasgow's Pavilion Theatre, Jim Davidson, came to fame through the show as well as TV comedian Victoria Wood, and Scots comedian Andy Cameron.
Search for a Star, Stars in their Eyes, and Jonathan Ross's The Big Talent Show followed in the nineties, and Popstars, Pop Idol, Fame Academy and X Factor mobbed noughties TV viewing ratings. Simon Cowell's The X Factor has excited and exasperated the nation since 2004. Thousands of eager contestants, some talented but many less so, have paraded on our TV screens, winning huge followings and celebrity status in a matter of weeks.
Many have taken the coveted Christmas number one slot in the charts, including Alexandra Burke, Leona Lewis, Leon Jackson and Matt Cardle, and have gone on to stardom.
Last year Edward Reid, 36, from Dennistoun, shot to fame after winning over the judges and audience on Britain's Got Talent with his rendition of nursery rhymes sung to the tunes of pop songs.
He said: "You hear so many bad stories about television talent shows but I have just had nothing but positive experiences.
"People in Glasgow and all over Scotland and Britain are really complimentary.
"I have had a really good experience from it."
Ayrshire singer Jai McDowall bagged the top prize on Britain's Got Talent last year, and runner-up in 2009, Susan Boyle, wowed audience with a true rags-to-riches transformation.
And now the Evening Times is keen to create even more stars.
Tomorrow we will reveal how you can have your shot at the big time.
matty.sutton@ eveningtimes.co.uk
With The Voice and Britain's Got Talent battling for the top spot for Saturday night TV viewing, the cult of the talent show is alive and well.
MATTY SUTTON looks at how the phenomenon of searching for 'new' talent is not new and gives a hint of how the Evening Times will create even more stars
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