Los Angeles, Jan 18 (IANS): Music mogul Simon Cowell confesses that he 'stole the idea' for "Britain's Got Talent" (BGT) from a rival music show.

Speaking on The Paul McKenna Positivity Podcast, the 59-year-old said he began to think up the idea for BGT when he said he would prefer to see a singing dog over someone taking part in another music show, reports dailymail.co.uk.

It comes as the ITV prime time mainstay is set to kick off auditions for its 13th series on Friday, which will also see host Ant McPartlin's first day back at work following his drink-driving arrest in March.

Cowell explained: "It was just an idea I had in the kitchen one day, I was watching another competing music show and a girl was murdering Get Here by Olita Adams.

"I thought do you know what I would actually rather watch a show about a singing dog.

"And that's how Got Talent came along. And we developed it over a year and then we sold it. And this show will run for 20 years."

Cowell went on to admit he doesn't like seeing his show business rivals performing well with TV formats of their own, and likes to take inspiration from them and channel it into his own shows.

"We see a competing show and think: we will take a bit of that show and put it into ours," he said.

"But I am still incredibly competitive. When I see a competing show starting to do well I actually feel physically sick.

"I don't like my friends to do well. I really don't. Jealousy in a weird way is good for you. If you are not jealous of your competitors you are not going to win."