Italian judge Bruno Tonioli is a much-loved member of the Britain's Got Talent family since joining in 2023 - and he loves nothing more than a night out with fellow judge Amanda
Forget Golden Balls, Bruno Tonioli says cheering fans on Britain’s Got Talent make him feel like football icon David Beckham.
The judge is feeling the love after joining the ITV talent show in 2023, replacing David Walliams. Former Strictly panellist Bruno, 69, says he’s lapping up all the attention and people chanting his name.
"That always takes me by surprise every time,” he says. “It's as if I’m David Beckham, you know, I would love to have his money. They chant my name and it blows my mind, but I love it. And the funny thing is, it happens on the street all the time, everywhere I go I get people chanting Bruno at me.
"And it’s often from scaffolders, so it just shows they must come and watch the show because how else would they know to chant my name in the way the audience does in the theatre? It’s always very funny when you get a bunch of guys on a building site or in a white van that do it.”
Bruno is delighted to have settled into his judging seat so well. “It’s so nice that the British public has embraced me in that way,” he smiled. “You know, I am who I am, I just speak my mind and I’m honest." Back in the hot seat for this weekend’s show, Bruno teased who made the crowd go so wild that they had to hit the golden buzzer.
"The crowd were going crazy for this act, and we all looked at each other and just recognised in the moment that we had to do it. So it was a mutual decision. But I think there would have been a riot in that theatre if we hadn’t," he said. In a format change, this series will see the live shows go out every Saturday night rather than across a week.
Bruno can’t wait and has promised big celebrations after each one. "Saturday nights are the time to party and Britain’s Got Talent is going to bring it!” he said. “I’m excited for it. I think it’s what the people want. They want to have fun on Saturday night, they want to be entertained. It’s brilliant.
“And for the acts, I think it’s good because it gives them breathing space and more time to prepare, more time to digest it all. But I want to keep that energy, you know, that buzz has to remain. They have to bring it on that stage.”
He says the judges will be letting their hair down with a few drinks. “We know we have a day off the next day so there might be a little celebration after the show, which will be nice! A few champagnes if Amanda has anything to do with it."
