BRUNO Tonioli has tripled his former Strictly salary by landing an £850,000 contract to be a judge on this year’s Britain’s Got Talent.
The 67-year-old Italian dancer and choreographer propelled comedian Alan Carr to the prime-time ITV plum post.
Bruno Tonioli tripled his former Strictly salary by landing an £850,000 deal to be a judge on this year’s Britain’s Got Talent[/caption]
Simon Cowell was keen for Bruno to be part of the BGT jury[/caption]
His outstanding salary is more than three times that of Strictly Come Dancing panel Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel-Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke.
The BBC dance show’s four judges are thought to pocket around £250,000 per series.
An insider told The Sun on Sunday: “Friends say Bruno is delighted to be back on prime time Saturday night TV in the UK.
“He’s managed to triple his salary in UK Strictly and beat stiff competition from frontrunner Alan Carr, who is friends with many of the cast and crew.”
Bruno is set to make his first BGT appearance on Tuesday for a shoot at the London Palladium.
He will pocket the same as fellow BGT panelists Amanda Holden, 51, and Alesha Dixon, 44.
Bruno was show boss Simon Cowell’s choice to replace former judge David Walliams, 51, who quit last year.
Amanda, who is married to record producer Chris Hughes, is also celebrating after extending her contract for Heart FM’s breakfast show until 2024.
A source said: “Bosses are delighted she is staying.”
She was among those pushing for Carr – her close friend and co-star of BBC1 property show The Italian Job – to be brought in as a BGT judge.
But our source added: “Simon has been Bruno’s biggest supporter and thinks he has a special on-screen quality that can’t be replicated.”
Bruno left Strictly three years ago after being replaced by Anton, 56.
He struggled to travel from the US to the UK during the Covid pandemic.
Bruno is also a judge on the American show Dancing With The Stars, where he pockets around £1million per series.
A spokesperson for Britain’s Got Talent declined to comment.
Amanda Holden was shooting for her friend Alan Carr to get the judge spot[/caption]
Amanda is married to record producer Chris Hughes[/caption]
