STRICTLY star Bruno Tonioli has emerged as a surprise favorite to replace David Walliams on the Britain’s Got Talent judging panel tonight.
It is now seen as a two-horse race between the flamboyant former BBC1 dance competition judge and Alan Carr, who has been speculated as a successor for months.
But he could be beaten to the job by Bruno, 67, who lost his place on the Strictly panel, and is now said to be courted by BGT boss Simon Cowell.
A TV insider said: “Signing up Bruno would be seen as a huge blow for Simon as he has always been seen as a favorite on Strictly with his ostentatious style.
“Bringing some of that hilarious magic to BGT would help fill the big shoes left by comic David.
“While his training was almost entirely in dance, it has seen him work with a range of artists involved in West End shows as well as pop star videos, so he would bring a wealth of experience.
“Signing Bruno would also be seen as a snub to Strictly, who have been his longtime rivals since the days when Simon’s other show The X Factor was locked in a ratings battle with rival Beeb. .
“That would have seen him take on not one but two judges, as he already has former Strictly star Alesha Dixon on the panel.”
Alesha joined BGT in 2012 after a brief stint as a judge on Strictly after winning the contest three years earlier – when Bruno was one of the judges who rated her.
He spent years juggling as a judge on Strictly and its American counterpart Dancing with the Stars, and in the end Covid restrictions paid him to cross the Atlantic.
In 2021, Bruno left Strictly permanently, replaced by former pro Anton du Beke, meaning he has more time to take on new projects.
Plus, the fact that auditions for BGT start in the first half means he can still be a judge on Dancing with the Stars come fall.
It was reported that Alan, 46, was close to signing for Strictly, but tonight sources close to the show said it was “far from a done deal”.
Although current panelist Amanda Holden is close friends with Alan, Simon has already tried to convince Bruno, who would earn at least £200,000 at the BBC, to move to BGT as a judge.
In 2018, Bruno said: “I told him to come up with something new and we’ll think about it. We discussed these things for a number of years, but it never came to anything concrete.
Bruno has done an increasing number of shows for ITV.
He appeared in the latest series of The Masked Dancer and made a travelogue, Great British Road Trips, with fellow Strictly panelist and longtime friend, Craig Revel Horwood.
A BGT spokeswoman declined to comment.
Bruno left Strictly during the Covid pandemic[/caption]
