Stacey was seen sitting next to Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and KSI on the ITV programme
(Image: ITV)
Simon Cowell was replaced by Stacey Solomon in the latest round of Britain’s Got Talent auditions to air on ITV, but was the programme’s head judge missing?
On Saturday night’s episode of the series’ 19th season, Stacey was seen judging alongside Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and KSI. Stacey is no stranger to ITV talent shows, having risen to fame on The X Factor in 2009.
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Speaking backstage at the auditions held in Birmingham, Stacey said: “I feel like one minute Simon Cowell was deciding the fate of my career and now I’m standing in for him.”
Despite having only replaced former Strictly Come Dancing star Bruno Tonioli on the judging panel, YouTuber KSI told Stacey to ‘‘believe in yourself’. Never one to miss a comedic beat, Stacey joked that it sounded like ‘she was going to audition’.
Informing the crowd of the change, Ant and Dec said: “Simon Cowell can’t be here, but we have lined up a very special judge for you, Stacey Solomon!” Amanda added: “This is a family show, Stacey is now part of our family.”
Simon missed two days of Britain’s Got Talent auditions back in October last year after he ‘fell down some steps’ and bumped his head. After postponing one day of the Birmingham auditions, Sort Your Life Out presenter Stacey was drafted in.
Stacey Solomon on Britain’s Got Talent(Image: ITV)
The music mogul was back for the Blackpool auditions, held in the iconic Winter Gardens, where Amanda reportedly told him: “I thought they might be here in case anything went wrong with you again because you were poorly last week.”
Simon replied: “I fell down some steps, that wasn’t poorly, and I bumped my head but I’m fine now. I wish you had been around a couple of weeks ago when I actually bashed my head. Seriously – no one sang for me then!”
Due to her appearing on every season of Britain’s Got Talent since its launch in 2007, Amanda took on the role of head judge. This meant that she had to sit in Simon’s seat, which is located on the far left of the judging table.
Previously discussing the change, Amanda told reporters: “I must admit I hated sitting in that seat. 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.
“It’s OK if your team are sitting 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!”
“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.”
She added: “She [Stacey} is so lovely and I think we’ve got quite a similar style of judging. 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 all those years ago.
“Even though she’s smashing it in the real world now, Stacey’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 and her crafting is through the roof. If only I could be that type of mother!”