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David Walliams replaced by Bruno Tonioli as Britain's Got Talent judge

ITV Bruno Tonioli on Britain's Got TalentITV
Bruno Tonioli took his place at the Britain's Got Talent judges' desk on Tuesday

David Walliams has been replaced by former Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli on the judging panel for the new series of Britain's Got Talent.

Walliams spent a decade alongside Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden.

But in November, he admitted making "disrespectful comments" about two contestants during a previous series.

Tonioli, who left Strictly in 2021, joined his new co-stars at the first judges' audition of the new series at the London Palladium on Tuesday.

"Here we are, Britain's Got Talent. I am so excited," he said. "It's my first show, I have no idea what's going to happen, but I'm sure it's going to be brilliant."

ITV Left-right: Bruno Tonioli, Ant McPartlin, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, Declan Donnelly and Simon Cowell on Britain's Got TalentITV
Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell are still there, along with Ant and Dec

Tonioli was one of the original Strictly judges and appeared on every series until his departure from the BBC show.

He still appears as a judge on Dancing With The Stars, the US version of Strictly. For many years he appeared on both series, flying between the UK and the US every week.

However, Covid travel restrictions made that arrangement difficult, and in 2020 he only appeared on Strictly via Zoom from the US.

He announced his departure from the show altogether the following year, and Anton Du Beke replaced him permanently as a judge.

PA Media File photo dated 20/1/2020 of (left to right) judges David Walliams, Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon arrive for Britain's Got Talent auditions held at The London Palladium, Soho in LondonPA Media
David Walliams had been on the judging panel with Cowell, Holden and Dixon since 2012

Walliams joined Britain's Got Talent in 2012 and became known for his light-hearted rivalry with Cowell.

Last year, the comedian and children's author apologised after a recording of him making derogatory and sexually explicit remarks during a break in filming in 2020 was leaked to The Guardian newspaper.

He said the remarks "were never intended to be shared", and the show's producers said they had spoken to him about his "future professional conduct".

In December, Walliams teased a new project with his former Little Britain co-star Matt Lucas.