Bradley Walsh Replaces Simon Cowell on Britain's Got Talent
Walsh confirmed as guest judge as Cowell recovers from back surgery, with show aiming to film around his availability.
Bradley Walsh has been confirmed as a replacement for Simon Cowell on Britain's Got Talent. Walsh, 66, was seen at the first day of live auditions in Blackpool, sharing a behind-the-scenes clip and expressing enjoyment in the role.
"Here we are. It's the first morning on BGT. It's going well, I'm enjoying it. Amanda, Alesha and KSI are so lovely to work with," Walsh said in a video shared by the show's official Instagram account.
Fans reacted positively to the news, with comments such as "Good luck" and "Bradley's going to be awesome on the panel."
The new series is scheduled to air in Spring 2027. Fremantle is reportedly considering moving about half of the six filming days at Blackpool's Winter Gardens to January to allow Cowell, 67, to contribute as head judge while he recovers from back surgery.
A source told The Sun last month that while Cowell is "is of course gutted to be missing the auditions, but it's important that he rests up now so he can make a full recovery." The source added that Cowell "knows the team will find a fun guest judge to spice up filming and keep the audience on their toes." It was noted that the current thinking was to choose a male comedian as a temporary replacement, but decisions were still being made.
Cowell underwent surgery after breaking his back in 2020 when he was thrown off an electric bike at his home in Malibu, California. He had extensive surgery, including the insertion of a metal rod to stabilize his back, and has since overhauled his lifestyle.
Last year, Cowell revealed that his surgeon had expressed concerns he might never walk again following the accident. He recounted that the surgeon showed him an X-ray and stated, "I'm not going to lie Simon, I don't know if I can fix this, which means you probably won't walk and secondly, the operation could take 11 hours." He also shared that the potential for the operation to go wrong was discussed, which made him think about his family and the importance of health over risky behavior.
Cowell described the accident as a significant wake-up call about his previously "crazy" lifestyle. He explained that after the accident, he realized he was in a "really bad place" when he struggled to walk even with intensive physiotherapy.
Reflecting on the accident itself, Cowell said he was thrown from his e-bike after it performed a large "wheelie" due to the throttle's power. He stated he immediately knew his back was broken upon landing. He recalled checking his ability to move his hands and feet, which offered some immediate reassurance.
Despite the initial fears of paralysis, Cowell has stated that he is now fitter than he was prior to the crash.