The Judge Who Almost Wasn’t There
Hosted by Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, the ITV talent show Britain’s Got Talent was created in 2007 and is now returning for its 18th series. Over the years, its judging panel has changed, but Amanda Holden has remained one of the show’s most recognizable faces.
Alongside Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and YouTuber KSI, Holden has become a familiar part of the programme and has appeared since its very first series. Yet according to Cowell, she almost never took the famous seat.
“She is our Britain’s Got Talent queen and she deserves that crown,” Cowell said of Holden.
He then revealed that another major star had originally been approached for the role.
“And you know what? She was an interesting booking because we’d offered the role to Cheryl Cole, as she was known in those days,” he explained.
However, just one week before filming was due to begin, Cheryl reportedly contacted Cowell and pulled out of the opportunity.
“A week before filming, she calls me and goes, ‘I just can’t do it’, and wouldn’t give me a reason,” Cowell recalled.
With the original plan suddenly falling apart, the production team had to find another judge at short notice. That unexpected change ultimately opened the door for Amanda Holden, who went on to become one of the show’s longest-serving and most recognizable judges.
What initially looked like a last-minute casting problem turned into a decision that helped shape the programme for years to come. Holden’s personality, reactions and memorable exchanges with contestants and fellow judges soon became an important part of the show’s identity.
Looking back, Cowell’s revelation makes Holden’s long-running role seem even more remarkable: she wasn’t necessarily the first choice, but the decision to bring her onto the panel became one of the show’s most enduring casting choices.
