Bruno waltzes into BGT role as Cowell wins battle with ITV
FORMeR strictly Come dancing star bruno Tonioli was unveiled yesterday as the new judge on britain’s Got Talent.
Tonioli, 67, landed the role after simon Cowell won his battle to sign him.
The reality television guru triumphed in a tug of war with ITV bosses, who wanted comedian alan Carr to replace david Walliams.
Walliams, 51, stood down last year after a leaked transcript from a recording in January 2020 revealed he had made derogatory and sexual remarks about contestants.
Tonioli made his debut at the first pre-recorded auditions at the London Palladium. dressed in a sparkly red jacket he joined his friend Cowell and their fellow panellists amanda holden and alesha dixon.
Miss holden, 51, wore a saint Lauren jacket dress with black Valentino killer high heels, while Miss dixon, 44, wore a black leather mini skirt, cropped shirt and over-the-knee boots.
speaking to the audience, Tonioli said Cowell had teased him for ‘years and years’ about joining the talent show. however, senior ITV bosses fear that Tonioli’s arrival will mean bGT will be less appealing to younger viewers because of his history with strictly, a bbC1 favourite.
The network is keen to attract the much sought after
18 to 24 age bracket and felt Carr, 46, would be successful.
bosses also say that there is too much of a ‘strictly feel’ to the panel as Miss dixon, too, was a judge on the dance show. One ITV source said: ‘bruno is associated with strictly so much, some bosses thought that isn’t helpful to bGT. his fans are older and ITV want younger ones. It hasn’t gone down very well with some ITV executives that simon got his way.’
Carr, best known for his Channel 4 chat show Chatty Man, is said to be heartbroken that his offer was withdrawn and the job given to Tonioli. Cowell, who launched the show 15 years ago, reportedly pushed to give the role to his long-time friend. a source told the Mail last week: ‘It all appears to be very chaotic. alan thought the job was his, as did those close to him, until he saw reports to the contrary. he was approached and came home from his holiday to have meetings. Then out of the blue it is briefed from the show that bruno is in the running too. but then this is what simon does.’
Tonioli said he was ‘very, very nervous’ as he took his seat on the judging panel after being welcomed by hosts ant McPartlin and declan donnelly. ‘Thank you very, very much,’ said Tonioli. ‘I am thrilled to be here.
Look at these girls they are stunning. My friend simon. What an honour it is to work with you finally. he’s teased me with this for years and years.’
The Italian dancer and choreographer was introduced on stage to the 1982 hit eye Of The Tiger by survivor.
Within minutes he had thrown the show into chaos as he made bGT history by pressing the golden buzzer – which puts an act straight through to the semi-finals – while they were still performing.
‘That’s never actually happened, you’ve made bGT history,’ Cowell said.
‘usually the golden buzzer is pressed after you’ve performed. but bruno was too excited and decided to press it while you were performing!’
Tonioli apologised but said ‘it just felt right’. britain’s Got Talent is expected to return to our screens in the spring.