IT was announced earlier today that comedian Alan Carr looks set to replace David Walliams on the Britain's Got Talent judging panel.
However there have been many signs pointing toward Alan being the main contender for one of the top jobs in telly.
Alan will now sit alongside best pal Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and show boss Simon Cowell.
Chatty Man star Alan has been in discussions with producers for weeks, alongside several other candidates.
But he quickly emerged as the runaway favourite among bosses including Simon and is now being offered a contract to join the ITV juggernaut.
Amanda Holden hits the beach in her New Year's Eve outfit after partying
A source said: “Alan is joining the line-up, it just has to be him - he’s brilliant.
"The deal is being finalised, but it's details now - and he’s totally up for it too. It’s the perfect hiring all round.”
Alan has long been great friends with the BGT crew and very early signs that he would be the likely new judge should the programme have ever needed one was when he attended a boozy dinner with boss Simon and the rest of the crew.
Simon and Alan enjoyed the luxurious meal almost two years ago in a first hint that Simon could be eyeing him up for a role on one of ITV's biggest hits.
The star-studded outing was almost a reflection of years to come with show judge Amanda and David also in attandence.
Although Alesha was missing from the slap-up dinner, it will be David who will be missing out now thanks to Alan taking up his position on the panel.
Alan's close connections with the judges do not stop there as he enjoys a very close friendship with Amanda Holden both on and off-screen.
The pair first met on the set of his talk show Chatty Man and have got up to all sorts of antics and have posed for many pictures on social media.
Amanda recently admitted that she had been searching for a new partner for Alan following the breakdown of his marriage.
In January, Alan announced his separation from partner of 14 years Paul Drayton after Paul was convicted of drink-driving.
Amanda Holden strips off to white bikini ahead of return to radio show
Amanda revealed that she earned her friendship stripes in Italy by trying to help Alan find love again.
She joked: “I was like Cilla Black. Basically, if they were breathing and single, they were in line for Alan.
“I think a lot of them thought me and Alan were married and I might not know something.”
Alan added: “I heard some people saying in Sicilian: ‘Look at that poor deluded woman with her homosexual husband!’
“I was on the lookout for love, though."
The pair are also currently fronting a brand new BBC show together called The Italian Job.
Last year, reports further emerged suggesting that Alan was ITV's current frontrunner to take on the role in another clue that he was destined for the role.
It was speculated that other names including The Masked Singer stars Mo Gilligan and Jonathan Ross could also take up David's vacant seat but Alan was the hot favourite.
The nest round of auditions are expected to begin filming later this month where Alan will make his debut on the show.
