Amanda Holden got candid about her ITV co-star
Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden admitted that co-star Simon Cowell has “changed” since the first series of the ITV talent show aired.
Judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, Bruno Tonioli and guest judge KSI are all ready to take on the 18th series of the talent show that has seen the likes of Diversity, Susan Boyle and Ashleigh and Pudsey appear on the stage.
As per previous years, one lucky winner will receive a cash prize of £250,000 and a place in the Royal Variety Performance, where they will get to perform before members of the British Royal Family.
As the talent show competition returns to ITV with its 18th season – also marking its 18th birthday – Simon Cowell, 65, who created the show as part of the global Got Talent franchise, admits that the audience – also known as the “fifth judge” – made them turn a bit golden-buzzer happy.
He shared: “You always hope and pray that the casting and the people who come on the show are going to be more interesting, different and make you feel emotional.
“And hats off to the team, who find these people from all over the world. When I’m watching it back, you see how much it means to them. It’s a real blast”.
Simon confessed the reason they’ve decided to stay in Blackpool is “because the audience was like… we use this expression, they’re like the fifth judge. I mean, it was at times out of control. It was pretty much deafening, everyone wanted a golden buzzer”.
The golden buzzer was introduced in the eighth series of BGT in 2014 and it allows judges and hosts to send an act straight to the live semi-finals.
Amanda Holden who has been part of the judging panel since the first series reflected on how much has changed since the ITV show began in 2007. She shared: “I had a child who was one years old when I started, and now they are at university. So that’s when I see an embodiment of what that looks like.
“But we were talking about how you’ve (Simon) changed and avoided that question like a proper politician. He did go soft for a bit, but I feel like he’s coming back.”
She continued: “He’s just up for it now. He’s changed so much and I think that is because he’s got Eric to throw things at him and jump on him. And the orange sunglasses are a great addition too.”
Britain’s Got Talent comes to ITV1, ITVX and STV, on Saturday, February 22 at 7pm.
