She’s been a staple on Britain’s Got Talent for almost two decades, having been on the show since it first aired in 2007. And now, with rumours that the judging panel could be getting a shake-up for the next series, we can reveal that Amanda Holden is eager to bring her close pal, Alan Carr, on board.
Last month, it was reported that Bruno Tonioli’s future on the ITV show is at risk due to filming clashes, with the Italian choreographer also working on Dancing With The Stars in the US later this year. While nothing has yet been confirmed, it’s thought that comedian Alan’s name has been thrown into the mix – and while Amanda is determined to make it happen, she’s feeling the pressure of deciding between her two pals.
Sources say that while Amanda, 53, is close to Bruno, 68, and wouldn’t want to see him leave, she thinks Alan would be the perfect replacement. “Simon Cowell has yet to decide who will be on the judging panel for the next series of BGT,” an insider tells Closer.
“Bruno is one of Simon’s closest friends, but it’s not firmed up that he’ll be back next year. With that in mind, Amanda is pushing for Alan and will stop at nothing to get him the gig. She loves Bruno too, but she and Alan spend a lot of time together filming their renovation show and she knows he’d be brilliant and hilarious on the panel.”
Amanda and Alan have a friendship that goes back 15 years. They first met on Alan’s Channel 4 show Alan Carr: Chatty Man in 2009, and the pair clearly hit things off, with Amanda appearing on his sofa another seven times. In fact, they became so close that they even took part in an episode of ITV’s DNA Journey in 2021 to find out if they were distantly related – but with no luck.
The duo also front their BBC property renovation series, Amanda & Alan’s Italian Job, together, with the second series airing earlier this year. And Alan, 48, previously admitted that the show brought them closer than ever. “Amanda and I were showbiz mates, but by the end of the summer we were such good friends. We’re always texting,” the comedian said. “We could actually probably go on holiday together now.”
Meanwhile, Amanda revealed that their friendship grew when she tried to help him find love again following his divorce from Paul Drayton in 2022. She joked, “I was like Cilla Black. Basically, if they were breathing and single, they were in line for Alan. I think a lot of them thought me and Alan were married and I might not know something.”
It’s not the first time Alan has been tipped for BGT. He was widely rumoured to be joining the panel – which also includes Alesha Dixon – following comedian David Walliams’ departure from the show in 2022, after foul-mouthed comments he made about contestants during a break in filming were made public.
Opening up about the speculation he was in the running for the job, Alan admitted he only found out about it after seeing the news reports. He said, “I was driving along the M25 and then it’s, ‘Ping, ping, ping’ on my phone. I’m like, ‘Oh my God, someone’s died – or my sex tape has come out!’ So I pulled over and it was messages saying I’d got the job and it was all in the papers. Then I had a meeting with them and they said, ‘Oh yeah…’ and they said I’d find out.”
The star explained how he subsequently discovered he hadn’t landed the gig when Bruno was announced as the new judge – and he ended up coming face-to-face with boss Simon, 64, at one of Amanda’s parties, who told him, “That’s show business”.
But if anyone can change Simon’s mind, it seems that could be Amanda. Following reports that the music mogul was feeling worried about the 17th series of BGT – which came to an end last month – thanks to declining ratings, sources previously told Closer that Amanda was on hand with some advice. An insider said at the time that Simon “has aways trusted Amanda’s judgement”, adding, “Amanda has remained fiercely loyal to her BGT boss over the years and the two have become very close”.
Now, with Simon seemingly having some big decisions to make over the future of the show, our source adds, “In an ideal world, Alan and Bruno would both be on the panel because the dynamic of them together would be amazing.
“Amanda feels like she’s caught between these two men who are also her best friends. But, deep down, she knows Alan would be a winning formula by her side. They have so much fun together and never stop laughing, plus he’d be great at quipping back to Simon.”