Simon Cowell reveals mum was a fan of Bruno Tonioli and says son Eric ‘laughs his head off’ at BGT

Simon Cowell revealed his mum is a huge fan of Bruno Tonioli and said son Eric ‘laughs his head off’ at Britain’s Got Talent auditions as he discussed the new series.

The music mogul, 63, joined fellow judges Bruno, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden gave a behind-the-scene insight to the show on ITV’s Lorraine on Thursday. 

His mother Julie passed away in 2015, age 89, leaving his family ‘devastated’, but Simon explained she had a ‘close relationship’ with the Strictly Come Dancing star. 

Revealing his mother influenced his choice to get Bruno onboard, Simon joked that she must have ‘spoke to him from up there.’

Elsewhere, he confessed how his tastes have changed when it comes to the show’s auditions due to his son Eric, eight. 

New addition: Revealing his mother influenced his choice to get Bruno onboard, Simon joked that she must have ‘spoke to him from up there’ (Bruno pictured)

This Bruno became a judge on Britain’s Got Talent, which is due to air from this weekend, replacing long-term show staple David Walliams.  

Speaking about if his mother influenced him to get Bruno on the panel, Simon explained: ‘I never watched Strictly.

‘I think she is talking to me up there and saying “yes”. They had a fantastic relationship.’

Adding of what it was like to work with the professional dancer, he said: ‘Bruno pressed the golden buzzer during a performance… and they just carried on.’   

‘I like stuff I’ve never seen before, I wouldn’t like them a few years ago [the acts] but I do now, probably because of Eric… he’s laughing his head off,’ he said of the upcoming series. 

Meanwhile, Bruno spoke of his time on the show as he gushed about ‘working with friends.’  

‘It has been such a pleasure,’ he said, ‘It’s like working with friends, it’s like being at home.’

He continued: ‘I always take a show as if it’s the first one, I don’t have any plans, I react to what is it in front of me… I tell you the truth, I never watched it!’ 

Close: His mother Julie passed away in 2015, age 89, leaving his family ‘devastated’, but Simon explained she had a ‘close relationship’ with the Strictly Come Dancing star

He said of the upcoming series: ‘I wouldn’t like them a few years ago [the acts] but I do now, probably because of Eric… he’s laughing his head off’ (pictured with partner Lauren Silverman and Eric in September 2022)

It comes after Bruno revealed he was so exhausted while filming the show that he once had an ‘out of body experience’.  

Speaking to Radio Times, Bruno revealed that despite the glitz and glam of his time on Strictly, behind the scenes he was completely exhausted. 

He said: ‘I remember saying to Tess that I didn’t know where I was because I was so tired. I even blanked once on Dancing with the Stars. 

‘I had an out-of-body experience and was confused about where I was, but I caught myself very quickly.’