TV star brands top BBC show ‘boring’ amid feud
SIMON COWELL believes new judge Bruno Tonioliwill have more fun on Britain’s Got Talent after branding the Italian’s former show Strictly Come Dancing “boring”.
The music mogul says the paddle boards used for scoring on the BBC One series are particularly dated and uninspiring.
But it won’t surprise you to hear he reckons BGT’s red and gold buzzers are super exciting in comparison.
Speaking ahead of Bruno’s debut on the ITV1 show this Saturday, Simon says: “When you’re doing Strictly, all you’ve got is a bat or something, right?
“That’s boring.
“This is a punctuation mark, which is the red buzzer.
“He was like a kid having these things to press while he was judging.
“I think he found that having those, the whole process was easier.
“I reckon he probably wished he had a red buzzer on Strictly.
“There’s a few celebrities he would have liked to have buzzed off, I bet.”
Bruno was a judge on Strictly for 18 years before quitting in 2022 and being replaced by Anton DuBeke.
But he revealed after accepting his new role that old pal Simon had been trying to get him on the ITV show for years.
And now that they’re finally together, the former X Factor boss believes it will be worth the wait — especially now Bruno knows how BGT works.
Simon explains: “I only realised after the first or second audition that he’s never seen the show before.
“I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is hilarious.
“It would be like me judging Strictly,’ because I’ve never seen an episode of Strictly so I wouldn’t have a clue what to do.
He adds: “I loved watching the show through his eyes because he’d never seen the show before, so it was brilliant.”
Simon had a close relationship with ex-judge David Walliams, who Bruno replaced, but he’s now realised he has far more in common with the dancer.
Simon went on: “There were so many times he and I would look at each other and we were both thinking the same thing, particularly with the Golden Buzzers, which is, ‘Why not?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, yeah, you’re right. Let’s just do it’
“I feel like I have a partner in crime.”
- Britain’s Got Talent returns this Saturday at 8pm on ITV1.
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RICHARD AYOADE will host Have I Got News For You for the tenth time later this month.
He’ll be joined by guest panellist, comedian Phil Wang, plus regular captains Paul Merton and Ian Hislop.
The episode airs on Friday, April 28 on BBC1.
SIMON’S JUST BIG SOFTIE
ALONG with his high-waisted trousers, sunglasses and chest-baring shirts, Simon Cowell’s harsh put-downs helped him become TV’s most famous talent show judge.
But his BGT co-star Amanda Holden reckons while the wardrobe remains, the “Mr Nasty” persona is a thing of the past.
And she claims that’s all down to Simon’s son Eric.
Amanda says: “When he sees children on stage now, he just thinks, ‘God, Eric’s eight, it could be him’.
“With the best will in the world, our children don’t do what some of these children do on stage.
“You just go, ‘Blimey!’ and you know what it means to them and you know what it means to be a parent.
“I think being a parent has changed him.
“I don’t know if he was ever particularly Mr Nasty, I think that might have been a bit of a pantomime villain character to start with and this is probably the real him.”
I’m not entirely sure all those wounded Pop Idol contestants would agree.
TONIOLI’S SO READY TO GROW
BRUNO TONIOLI has many talents – dancing, talent show judging and wearing Speedos an obvious few.
But BGT’s new signing has revealed another unlikely string to his bow . . . he’s a dab hand in the garden.
Asked about his secret talent, he says: “In spite of what Simon says, I’m a good gardener.
“For the record, I didn’t kill his bush. I cook, that’s a good talent to have.
“But I can’t juggle or anything like that.
“But if I had to sing, I would, I could.”
Despite making his name on the dancefloor, and starring in various music videos – Elton John’s I’m Still Standing the most memorable – the former Strictly judge insists his nifty footwork “is not what it was”.
He adds: “Dancing is a very particular skill, it’s like a sport, you see.
“There’s a moment that even the most skilled footballer would have to stop, because you won’t be able to do it to the level you expect from yourself.”
I’m sure he can still smash out the Macarena.
PRUE’S CUPPA COCK UP
PRUE LEITH’s biggest regret is making a rotten cuppa for the Queen.
The Bake Off judge was tasked with sorting a brew when Her Majesty paid a visit to the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre in Westminster.
Prue says: “I asked if she wanted it black and I put a piece of lemon in and then she said ‘no lemon’.
“I fished out the lemon and topped it up with hot water. She then said ‘I like it strong’.
“Poor woman. I gave her weak lemon tea and she wanted strong black tea.”
She added: “I would give my eye teeth now to give her a decent cup of tea.”
BARD IS BARRED BY RICKY
RICKY GERVAIS had the opportunity to become an Shakespearean actor, according to his agent.
Duncan Hayes says he’s inundated with offers for Ricky to tread the boards – including in the Bard’s plays – but the After Life star can never commit because he’s too focused on his own projects.
On the Out Of Office podcast, Hayes says: “A Shakespeare came in for him at one point, lots of stuff has come across my desk and his desk.
“I don’t have that Bond story for you, unfortunately. I don’t have that one where he turned down X and it went to Y.
“It doesn’t get to that point because he makes it fairly clear that he wants to create his own things.”
Duncan also revealed Ricky always ensures work doesn’t get in the way of his family life.
He adds: “He very much does all he can to live life to his rhythm and not to do the business.”
It’s a good attitude to have.