Simon Cowell is left boggled during Britain’s Got Talent on Sunday as co-stars Ant and Dec pull an hilarious prank on him.
At the beginning of the clip, the duo is seen behind the scenes handling a microphone to one of the sound team staff and asked to place it in front of Simon.
‘You haven’t seen us, all right?’, told Ant as they prepared to pull the cheeky prank.
As soon as the duo came on stage, Dec asked Simon if he’d like to say anything before moving on.
‘I love you. I actually love you,’ said Simon – but soon realised his voice was coming out completely pitched and distorted.
Pranked! Simon Cowell is left boggled during Britain’s Got Talent on Sunday as co-stars Ant and Dec pull an hilarious prank on him
Cheeky: At the beginning of the clip, the duo is seen behind the scenes handling a microphone to one of the sound team staff and asked to place it in front of Simon
Plotting: ‘You haven’t seen us, all right?’, told Ant as they prepared to pull the cheeky prank
Ant and Dec acted like they were surprise as the whole crowd began laughing.
‘Why am I sounding like this?, he said slowly rehearsing his tone.
Judge Amanda Holden couldn’t contain herself as the whole place was already bursting in laughs.
‘Have you had a rough night Simon?’ joked Dec.
‘You did this, didn’t you?!’ laughed Simon as he pointed his fingers to the two guilty faces.
‘What? Us?!’ replied Ant laughing.
‘Okay maybe… we did!’ the presenter added as everyone couldn’t stop laughing at the hilarious situation.
The ITV’s favourite show returned to screens on Saturday night and seemed to kick off the season in great style.
Teasing: As soon as the duo came on stage, Dec asked Simon if he’d like to say anything before moving on
Oops! ‘I love you. I actually love you,’ said Simon – but soon realised his voice was coming out completely pitched and distorted
Funny: Ant and Dec acted like they were surprise as the whole crowd began laughing
Prank: Why am I sounding like this?, he said slowly rehearsing his tone
Hilarious: Judge Amanda Holden couldn’t contain herself as the whole place was already bursting in laughs
Joke: ‘Have you had a rough night Simon?’ joked Dec
According to overnight figures, the ITV show raked in a total of 6.2million viewers, making it the most-watched ITV show of the year.
The long-standing show returned featuring judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and newbie Bruno Tonioli.
And though questions were raised over the departure of David Walliams after a decade on the panel, it seems there was no cause for concern.
Watching live, an average of 5.5million viewers tuned in – roughly a 39 per cent share of viewing.
Additionally, the show had a 45 per cent share of viewing among 16-34’s.
Despite it’s evident success, Britain’s Got Talent’s 16-year reign on ITV could soon be over, with the show’s deal with the network nearing its end.
The programme is contracted on the channel for two more series.
Cowell, 63, whose Syco Entertainment company owns the show, has been in talks with Channel 5 to start working with them after almost two decades of screening his productions on ITV.
His five-year deal with the network ends in 2025.
BGT, which launched its latest season last night, is the last remaining programme that ITV works on with Cowell.
While ITV bosses believe that Cowell’s meetings with other TV stations could be part of a ruse to nudge up his fee when it comes to renew the deal, some executives at the broadcaster are looking to move on from his shows.
One source said: ‘For many years Simon and his team called the shots, so much so that there was a significant amount of fear among ITV employees.
‘But as ratings have dropped, the dynamic has changed and ITV are no longer so reliant upon his shows.
‘Plus, let’s not forget Simon has spoken repeatedly about wanting to work with Netflix, Amazon and other streaming giants.
‘Then, of course, he has met with Channel 5, so it would be fair to assume from that that he is looking for a new home for his programmes.’
TV favourite: According to overnight figures, the ITV show raked in a total of 6.2million viewers, making it the most-watched ITV show of the year
Judges: The long-standing show returned featuring judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and newbie Bruno Tonioli
Projects: Cowell, 63, whose Syco Entertainment company owns the show, has been in talks with Channel 5 to start working with them after almost two decades of screening his productions on ITV
Wrong buzz: The calamitous Italian got into a spot of bother as he excitedly pressed his golden buzzer for Ugandan dance act Ghetto Kids before they’d were finished their performance
In recent years, ITV has been keen to air what it refers to internally as ‘kind television’ and has launched shows such as The Masked Singer and Starstruck.
BGT’s wholesome image was tarnished when recordings emerged of judge David Walliams making sexually explicit comments about contestants during auditions in January 2020.
He was replaced by former Strictly judge Tonioli. But Cowell and ITV were at odds over his appointment, with the broadcaster wanting to hire Alan Carr to join the judging panel.
Indeed, Britain’s Got Talent’s first live show of the 2023 series descended into chaos on Saturday night as new judge Bruno pressed his golden buzzer halfway through an act’s performance.
The former Strictly star, 67, made his debut on the ITV talent show where he quickly got stuck into enjoying the entertainment on offer.
The calamitous Italian got into a spot of bother as he excitedly pressed his golden buzzer for Ugandan dance act Ghetto Kids before they’d were finished their performance.
While it’s customary that the judges or hosts Ant and Dec press the button after the performance, the talented orphans were showered with golden confetti while they danced on stage.
The group, though delighted with the golden buzzer, ploughed on through the performance and put on a great show – despite hardly being able to see through the confetti.
The jaw-dropping moment left both the audience and Bruno’s fellow judges in shock, with Simon declaring that this had ‘never happened’ before.
Watching the scenes unfold at home, viewers were quick to comment on Bruno’s blunder, with many declaring that they loved the chaos he brought to the show.
‘I’m glad Bruno hit his buzzer when he did that was too funny!!’ commented one person.
‘That was such a great golden buzzer moment. Bruno is proving to be chaos but actually, I quite like it’ remarked another.
A third tweeted: ‘Bruno’s mishaps have brought #BGT back to life randomly pressing buzzers, love him.’
‘It’s what happens when you assume the new judge has watched the show before. Didn’t hire him cos he is a fan, and Bruno has broken all the rules. LOVE IT’ said a fourth.
‘Bruno ain’t got a clue but I absolutely love it’ write a fifth watcher,
With another adding: ‘I don’t think anyone understands what’s happened tbh. Bruno threw that rulebook out the window.’
Following his blunder, head judge Simon was quick to explain that this was not the way things were done, causing a red-faced Bruno to remark: ‘Oh I’m sorry, I got it wrong!’
While Ant McPartlin quipped backstage: ‘Someone didn’t explain the rules of Britain’s Got Talent to him.’
Earlier in the evening, Bruno made a similar mistake when he pressed his red buzzer after telling an act that it was a no from him.
Alesha was quick to remind him that Bruno needn’t press his buzzer when rejecting an act, with Bruno then admitting that he’s never actually watched BGT before.
As the judges and audience laughed at his error, Bruno – who replaced David Walliams on the show – declared: ‘They are going to sack me, I know this!’
Speaking to Digital Spy and other press about his Golden Buzzer blunder, Bruno previously said: ‘I just had to do it. They were absolutely amazing. And then I turn around and go what have I done wrong? I had no idea.
‘I did it in the performance and the whole stage is covered with gold and they keep on dancing. And they were even more amazing. Now I know you have to wait until the end.
‘But then I didn’t know that you can only do it once, so I did it again. And we just keep giving them. But you get such a buzz to embrace fully what has been performed in front of you to such a level that the audience goes insane.’
Bruno’s antics left many viewers unimpressed, with some calling for David to return to the show.
Oops: Alesha was quick to remind him that Bruno needn’t press his buzzer when rejecting an act, with Bruno then admitting that he’s never actually watched BGT before
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