Amanda Holden has declared that Simon Cowell has reverted to his former, more forthright self on the new series of Britain's Got Talent, having abandoned what she described as his 'Mr Soft' persona. The ITV talent show returned on 21st February, and Holden has welcomed the return of Cowell's sharp one-liners, noting that the series feels 'very loose and very chaotic'.
However, the first episode drew criticism from viewers who felt the golden buzzer was overused. The buzzer allows judges to send a contestant straight to the semi-finals, bypassing further auditions. Despite the backlash, Holden has promised plenty of drama in the coming episodes.
Holden attributed Cowell's change in attitude partly to new judge KSI, who she said is 'so honest on the other end of the panel'. She added that Cowell is no longer 'sugar coating' his comments, saying: 'I'm glad to see that Simon is no longer being soft serve ice-cream.' She also praised KSI for his succinct answers.
Holden herself had to step into the head judge role temporarily after Cowell missed filming due to falling down steps and hitting his head. X Factor runner-up Stacey Solomon joined as a guest judge. Holden admitted she 'hated' sitting in Cowell's seat, feeling isolated on the end of the panel. She said: 'I never want to sit in that seat again! I'm juicy in the middle, it's such a good spot.'
Holden had high praise for Solomon, describing her as 'warm', 'super funny', and 'down to earth'. She noted that Solomon's experience as a former X Factor contestant gave her a good understanding of the audition process, making her a valuable addition to the panel for the day she filled in.
