Stacey Solomon Praised by Britain’s Got Talent Judges During Debut
The judging panel of ITV’s hit talent show, Britain’s Got Talent, has been buzzing with the arrival of Stacey Solomon. The former X Factor contestant, who first captured the nation’s hearts in 2009, recently stepped into the esteemed judge’s seat for an upcoming episode. She joined fellow judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and YouTube sensation KSI, filling in for the show’s mastermind, Simon Cowell.
During Stacey’s guest appearance, Amanda Holden, 55, took on the mantle of head judge. The 36-year-old, already a familiar face as the host of Sort Your Life Out, a panellist on Loose Women, and a star of her own reality series Stacey & Joe, seamlessly transitioned into her new role. The reception from her co-judges and hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly was overwhelmingly positive, with many describing her as “warm, funny, and down to earth.”
Alesha Dixon, 47, a veteran judge on the series, was particularly impressed with Stacey’s approach. “Stacey was adorable,” Alesha remarked. “She’s so sweet, very natural, and I liked the way she spoke to contestants because she’s always coming from a good place.” Alesha further elaborated on Stacey’s connection with the hopefuls, noting her empathetic nature. “She knows how it feels to be on stage and audition, so she had that empathy for them. I thought she did a great job!”
Host Ant McPartlin, 50, echoed these sentiments, highlighting Stacey’s unique perspective. “Stacey knows exactly what it’s like to stand on this stage, audition and be judged for a show like this,” he said. “It was nice for her to sit there in the judge’s chair and put herself in the shoes of every auditionee who walked on stage. She had a lot of empathy with them.” His long-time presenting partner, Dec Donnelly, also 50, agreed, stating, “She was a really handy addition to the judges’ panel. She was quite insightful in some of her critiques, so she did a really good job.”
Amanda Holden added her own praise, noting a similarity in their judging styles. “She’s so lovely and I think we’ve got quite a similar style of judging,” Amanda commented. “She’s warm, she’s super funny, she has a great understanding of what it’s like to be on the other side, because she obviously auditioned for The X Factor. Even though she’s smashing it in the real world now, she’s very down to earth and doesn’t have an ego, so I think that worked really nicely for the day that she was pulled in. We’re all fans of her.”
Amanda Holden’s Tenure as Head Judge: A Mixed Bag
While Stacey Solomon’s debut was a resounding success, Amanda Holden admitted to a less enthusiastic experience stepping into Simon Cowell’s head judge seat. “I must admit I hated sitting in that seat!” she confessed. “I’ve been on the show the longest, so I understand why I probably need to sit in that seat, but when I was there, I felt very outcast on the end.”
Amanda elaborated on the isolation she felt, contrasting it with Simon’s usual setup. “It’s okay if your team are sat to the left of you, Simon’s got dozens of staff and family watching from the side and communicating with him. Mine all decided to eat my snacks and sit in the dressing room paying no attention to the show or me whatsoever!” She recalled Simon’s query about her experience: “Simon said to me, ‘You must have loved it. Did you feel powerful?’ I said I hated it because I had to keep leaning in to be part of the conversation. I never want to sit in that seat again! I’m juicy in the middle, it’s such a good spot.”
Behind-the-Scenes Antics: Stink Bombs and Golden Buzzer Scuffles
The current season of Britain’s Got Talent has been far from ordinary, with reports of judges receiving a stern warning from producers regarding a prank gone awry. Amanda Holden revealed that the panel found themselves in hot water after Simon Cowell’s visit to a local joke shop near Blackpool’s Winter Gardens during filming. During breaks, Simon indulged his “naughty side” by purchasing stink bombs, intending to unleash a pungent surprise.
However, production staff caught wind of the plan, leading to a significant dressing-down. “Word got round that the stink bombs had been bought and the producers gave us a big talking to. We weren’t allowed them,” Amanda explained.
Alesha Dixon further described the season as “packed with ‘bonkers’ antics.” She admitted that the judges were frequently “fighting” over the coveted Golden Buzzers. In one memorable instance, Alesha dove across the table to beat Simon to the buzzer, a moment so chaotic that production requested she “recreate” it for the cameras. “I could sense Simon getting up, and I literally dived. I’ve never dived before,” Alesha recounted. “I dived onto the desk and then they wanted me to recreate this dive… I injured myself just to stop him getting his way, but it was so funny. This season felt like we were back to the chaos that we love on our show. More than ever it just felt really bonkers.”
KSI: The New Judge Embraces His Role
The newest addition to the judging panel, KSI, real name Olajide Olatunji, has also weighed in on the show’s lively atmosphere. He confirmed the claims of on-set mayhem, admitting to causing “havoc” himself during one Golden Buzzer act. “A golden buzzer act literally left the other judges speechless and we don’t often see them stuck for words,” KSI stated. “But I’ve caused havoc because although the other judges were disgusted, I thought it was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.”
KSI embraces his role as a potentially “bad guy” on the panel, unafraid to deliver honest critiques. “I’m quite a loud, expressive person and I’m happy to get on stage and jump around. I’m there to really get involved whether it’s judging or getting involved with the acts,” he explained. “I don’t mind being the bad guy. I’m going to tell it how it is. If I see something boring I’ll tell them it’s boring. Maybe I need to work on my vocabulary, but that’s just how I am.”
Beyond the on-screen drama, KSI revealed that the panel has developed a strong chemistry off-camera. He’s learned to anticipate Simon’s moods, particularly his “wind-up mood.” “Considering we haven’t known each other properly for very long, and we’re all quite different personalities, we’ve all become close in a short space of time,” he said. “I’ve even learnt the look Simon has when he’s in a wind-up mood. Then I know Amanda is going to be in for a day of it because I see the glint in his eye, and I know he’s going to keep us on our toes. I’ve also started to spot the signs of when they’re going to push their golden buzzers. They each have this poker face they pull, but I can spot them and know the hand they’re going to play.”
Britain’s Got Talent returns Saturday at 7pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
