Major social media star will replace Bruno Tonioli on the Britain’s Got Talent judging panel for new series: ‘I’ll be sure to leave a mark’
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KSI will appear as a guest judge on the next series of Britain’s Got Talent, with bosses hoping he will bring in some of his 80 million followers as viewers.
The musician, 31, will replace Bruno Tonioli when he heads to the US to sit on the judging panel of Dancing With The Stars.
According to The sunthe social media influencer will take over from Bruno for three of the five days when the show has its first round of auditions in Blackpool this month.
An insider said of the signing: ‘Their new judge not only knows a thing or two about entertaining, he has a huge following that is largely young and tech-savvy, which is exactly the kind of viewer the show now thrives on.
‘BGT is not just a TV show, it is also a global internet phenomenon, with clips of the various acts being viewed 24 billion times around the world. That’s why KSi is the perfect match, as his music alone has been streamed 2.7 billion times.”
KSI will appear as a guest judge on the next series of Britain’s Got Talent, with bosses hoping he will bring in some of the 80 million followers as viewers
The musician, 31, will replace Bruno Tonioli when he heads to the US to sit on the jury of Dancing With The Stars
Speaking about joining the show, KSI said: ‘I’m so excited to be a guest judge for BGT. When I got the call, I couldn’t believe it. I remember watching old BGT episodes and going from amazed to laughing. I’m excited to see all the new talent, and I’ll definitely make a mark.”
It comes after Bruno’s seat on the Britain’s Got Talent judging panel was reportedly ‘saved’ by show boss Simon Cowell after he recently dismissed speculation he would be replaced full-time.
The recordings for the ITV series would clash with Dancing With The Stars – where 68-year-old Bruno has been a jury member since 2005.
However, 64-year-old Simon will reportedly spend thousands of money to fly the Italian TV personality back and forth.
‘When Bruno joined BGT last year he breathed new life into the show. Simon loved how unpredictable he was and thought he made great TV. The viewing figures clearly show that viewers also agreed with this,” says a source The sun.
‘When plans were made to revamp BGT for 2025, it was quickly noticed by Simon and the producers that Bruno was already committed to Dancing With The Stars.
‘Simon found a way to make it work. It means that while an alternate judge may be needed once or twice, Bruno will remain on the show.”
The source also revealed that flying back and forth isn’t ideal for Bruno, but he loves and relates to both shows.
The social media influencer will take over for Bruno for three of the five days when the show has its first round of auditions in Blackpool this month
It comes after Bruno’s place on the panel was reportedly ‘saved’ by show boss Simon Cowell after he recently dismissed speculation he would be replaced full-time
The former Strictly Judge began filming in the United States on September 17.
According to The Sun, 48-year-old comedian Alan Carr was initially tipped to replace him if he had to leave the show, but is now believed to be top of the list to perform.
This week, ITV unveiled a format change for the show, which will also see Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden serve as judges.
It will begin in February with a four-month run, with live Saturday night semi-finals replacing nightly episodes for a week.