Britain's Got Talent judge Bruno Tonioli breaks silence after 'axing' claims
Bruno Tonioli
Bruno Tonioli has finally spoken out after rumours circulated that he's been dropped from Britain's Got Talent. The former Strictly Come Dancing judge was allegedly removed from the new series of the ITV talent show, just days after Sydnie Christmas clinched the top prize at the live final.
Sydnie bagged a whopping £250,000 and a chance to perform at the Royal Variety Performance in front of a member of the Royal Family this November.
Two years ago, Bruno replaced David Walliams as a judge, joining Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon. However, it was reported the dancer may not return due to a scheduling clash with his US work commitments.
Breaking his social media silence, he shared a promo of Simon's latest venture. The music mogul is searching for his next boyband following the success of One Direction.
Bruno posted a link to sign up for Simon's search along with a poster that read: "Simon needs you! Are you the next global superstar and want to be in his new boy band? Aged around 16-18? Click below now to apply.
The BGT judge regularly appears as a judge on Dancing with the Stars in the United States, and with Britain's Got Talent set to move earlier in the year to accommodate the absence of Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, which is currently on hold.
Britain's Got Talent is reportedly splashing out an eye-watering £100million on a show-stopping revamp, which includes shaking up the traditional filming schedule. Auditions are set to be captured in October instead of the usual January slot.", reports the Mirror.
Alan Carr
Once it became clear auditions were starting in October, as opposed to January as per the previous 17 series, it became clear Bruno may not be able to take part.
"He's committed to the US, but the new format for BGT is non-negotiable because the show will effectively be replacing Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway," a source revealed to The Sun.
Rumour has it that Alan Carr is being tipped to fill Bruno's shoes.
Alan recently showcased his judging prowess on ITV's reality show Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream, where he was instrumental in selecting the new Sophie and Sky for the West End stage. Insiders suggest that his rapport with Amanda Holden, his co-star on another TV project, could spell success."
However, when the subject was raised, about Bruno's departure, during an interview on Heart Radio, Simon said there were no plans to axe Bruno, saying: "No."
Before the latest series, the BGT judge revealed his zest for being part of Britain's Got Talent. Bruno expressed, "I enjoyed it so much! And as long as they want me, I'm on it, because obviously I haven't done it before and they allow me to be myself.
"They have all been so supportive, and for me, every show is an adventure, and that's how I approach it. One day to the next is never the same!"
Simon Cowell
Simon later confirmed that despite scheduling issues, Bruno would not be permanently leaving the panel.
He stated, "I spoke to the producers literally two weeks ago about there is a scheduling issue with Bruno. Because we're doing the auditions... some of the auditions this year and he's going to be in America. So maybe there'll be a stand in for him. I don't know.
"But I love Bruno on the show. I think he's brilliant. He knows so much about what he's talking about. And actually, he's a brilliant, brilliant judge and the nicest person. So no, I would not replace him! He's coming back."