STRICTLY Come Dancing star Bruno Tonioli will replace David Walliams as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent - beating rival Alan Carr to the job.
Show boss Simon Cowell made it clear he wanted Bruno to fill the vacant seat on the panel and producers have been hammering out a deal with him over the past week.
Bruno, 67, is now set to sign the contract - for a six figure sum - ahead of nationwide BGT auditions starting next week.
A TV insider said: “For almost two months Alan may have been the favourite to take over from David, but Bruno was always Simon’s preferred choice.
“Not only does he have years of judging experience under his belt from his time on Strictly he will bring an outrageous brand of comedy that BGT needs on the panel.
What Ola and James Jordan really ate and did to shed 7st
“In so many ways this is already the perfect job for Bruno as it sees him return to a glitzy showbusiness favourite that fits in with the rest of his work.
“Sealing the deal was always down to him being presented with an offer enticing enough to make a commitment to the show.
“After intense negotiations, they’ve managed to reach an agreement that will now see him return to prime time Saturday night TV in the UK.”
Bruno, who’ll join Simon, 63, Amanda Holden, 51, and Alesha Dixon, 44, on the BGT judging panel, left Strictly two years ago. He was replaced on the BBC1 dance show’s panel by Anton du Beke, 56.
He is still a judge on the US version of Strictly Come Dancing , called Dancing With The Stars, which runs from September to December.
That allows Bruno to work fully on BGT, with the auditions section filmed early in the year and the live finals usually taking place in June.
Simon has spent years trying to sign up his long-standing pal, who was earning at least £200,000 at the BBC. But the ostentatious Italian says deliberations to get on BGT never amounted “to anything concrete”.
It is understood that the final details of the lucrative deal to take over from David, who left the show in November, were agreed just days ago.
Up until last week Alan Carr was believed to be a shoo-in for the role, particularly as he already has such a great rapport with BGT judge and friend, Amanda.
Ola and James Jordan detail how weight loss has reignited their sex life
But it then emerged it was a two-horse race between the comedian and Bruno, who will be the second Strictly judge Simon has hired, after he poached Alesha from the BBC back in 2012.
A spokesperson for Britain’s Got Talent has been contacted for comment.
