BRITAIN’S Got Talent is bigger than rival Strictly Come Dancing, insists new judge Bruno Tonioli.
He’s a shocking addition to the ITV panel after 17 series on BBC’s Strictly, but Bruno reckons: “It’s the biggest show on TV – I mean it, now I’m here.”
Bruno Tonioli says Britain’s Got Talent is bigger than Strictly now that it’s there[/caption]
The ITV talent show’s new look panel was overshadowed by a row of salaries this week[/caption]
And he says his relationship with fellow judges Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden is “great” after an unseemly pay line overshadowed news of his new job.
Bruno, 67, joined Simon Cowell, 63, Amanda, 51 and Alesha, 44, this week for the BGT auditions at the London Palladium
And after filming for the first time, the Italian dancer told us: “It’s the biggest show on British TV now that I’m here.
“I’m serious. Oh, Simon’s gonna hate that I said that – but hey.
“I have nothing bad to say about Strictly, it changed my life.
“It’s completely different and it’s a completely different kind of judging.
“The lineup of this show, you see things happening that you have no idea are happening.
“I’ve been in showbiz for 50 years now and I’ve worked with everyone from Tina Turner and French and Saunders to Michael Caine, so I know when something works and I know why it works.
“I know what this job needs.”
The demonstrative Bruno beat comedian Alan Carr, 46, to replace David Walliams, 51, on the panel.
And he insisted there would be no hard feelings with Alan, adding: ‘It won’t be awkward at all.
“I have no idea of his negotiations. I like Alan and I know him, he’s a very nice guy.
“I didn’t know the situation with him, nothing was announced, and it’s show business.
“It was thanks to ITV – and I just said yes to the job when it was offered to me. He’s a professional, he knows how it goes.
Bruno says he had no idea Britain’s Got Talent job was available[/caption]
Bruno adds: “Actually, I was on vacation and I received an SMS from Simon’s girlfriend.
“We’ve been friends for a long time, me and Simon, and she suggested we all get together.
“I had no idea this job was there. I arrived in London on January 9 and my agent got a call from ITV.
“I had no idea what it was except he said, ‘oh this is something really big’ and I thought ‘that’s good’.
“Then I had a meeting on the 13th with ITV and I thought great, that’s fantastic.
“I have known Simon forever. I know the show is right up my street.
“There were no long negotiations, I just said ‘yes, I want to do it’.
“It happened so fast that I have practically nothing to wear. I’m going to have to do some shopping next week when I get to Manchester, I have to charge Simon. . . in fact, he teased me about joining for years and never offered me the job, so I still didn’t believe it until it finally happened.
Bruno, whose name was chanted by fans as he arrived for filming this week, joined BGT with a reported salary of £850,000.
It is understood that Amanda and Alesha were put off by rumors that he would get more than them.
They made a pact to quit unless they were satisfied and a happy settlement was reached amid fears Simon would have to step in.
Bruno defended himself against the fury and insists he had no idea what his co-stars are paid, but says their relationship is now “great”.
He explains: “It’s very vulgar to talk about money but I certainly don’t get what was asked for.
“I don’t know what the girls get, but if they get more now than good for them, they deserve it all.
“There is no coldness with the girls, of course not. Who’s Freezing? We laughed a lot.
“It’s working with a group of friends. I know Alesha from Mis-Teeq and of course since she was on Strictly.
“I have known Amanda since we met at a small party for Simon’s 50th birthday. We all like each other and we all respect each other.
“When I’m on the panel, the volume is a bit higher.
“Simon already has a headache – he said I gave him a migraine yesterday, but we’ve known each other for years because before he was a big deal.
“He asked me to choreograph a video for his then-girlfriend Sinitta in the 80s, but it wasn’t So Macho or Toy Boy, I got screwed with a naff.
“Simon was driving a TVR at the time, it was very vulgar and he was still living at home with his parents.
“I remember one day I went to visit him and he had this climbing rose that was so neglected, so I took out my pliers and just pruned his bush. He was furious.
Bruno was recruited by the BGT panel when David resigned after ten years.
This followed allegations that Walliams made derogatory remarks about some of the contestants who were picked up by a microphone.
But despite the uncomfortable exit, he was quick to congratulate his replacement on winning the coveted role – sending a gift and a warm message of support.
Brazilian TV judge says his predecessor, David Walliams, praised him for his new role[/caption]
Bruno says: “David was actually the very first person to text me and a fantastic bottle of wine. He is a very good friend.
“We worked together a long time ago on a film The Body In The Library and he was part of the cast.
“The second text was by Piers Morgan, he is even more cunning than Simon.
“He begged me for six months to be on his life stories.
“When we were both in America, I saw a lot of Simon on the CBS lot.
“I was doing Dancing with the Stars and he was doing American Idol, but my trailer was like a milk float and his was gorgeous, he had a nice stack.
“But one weekend he left his hot tub all weekend and flooded the place including my caravan – and it ruined a pair of beautiful blue suede Dior boots I had just bought.
“I was furious. He owes me a pair of boots.
Bruno spent years juggling as a judge on Strictly and its American counterpart Dancing with the Stars.
Covid restrictions put a strain on him crossing the Atlantic and in 2021 he is gone for good.
He was replaced by former pro Anton Du Beke.
As BGT’s auditions begin in the first semester, Bruno would still be free to judge Dancing With The Stars in the fall.
But he says his dancing days are now well and truly over after recently appearing on The Masked Dancer as Pearly King, which he says “ruined my back”.
