Amanda Holden has dished the dirt on her tight-knit bond with Simon Cowell, revealing insights into his 'happy family life'. The pair, who have been working together since 2007, have developed a friendship that goes way beyond their roles on Britain's Got Talent.
As the hit talent show gears up for its 17th series tonight, Amanda spills that their camaraderie now includes regular weekend hangouts. She even influenced Simon's decision to buy a country house in the Cotswolds after insisting he and his fiancee Lauren Silverman needed a rural escape.
"I see him most weekends in the Cotswolds, so it would be very uncomfortable for him to not employ me," she quipped. "For years I was saying, 'you need to come to the Cotswolds this is the place you can switch off and take your eyelashes off! ' And Lauren was very, very keen. When they found somewhere I was delighted. They are super-happy."
Amanda, married to talent manager Chris Hughes who also represents Simon, has a special connection to the Cotswolds where her grandparents resided. She believes that Simon, who popped the question to American Lauren in 2021, is in a blissful phase of his life.
"I think his family life is happy, he's super-secure with Lauren and their son Eric is gorgeous," she reveals. "Simon doesn't have a phone, he doesn't pay attention to anything and I think that puts him in a bubble. That's how he lives life, and that's much better for him."
Amanda is open about her job contract being renewed annually and the potential awkwardness that could come with it. "It would be awkward but it doesn't safeguard the job, because Simon isn't frightened of change," she says. "Neither am I. I mean, I never expected to do this for 18 years, so I'd be sad, but I'd wish the next person very well."
She and Simon also participated in a prank on Saturday Night Takeaway recently. This closeness might make her his favourite on the panel, which also includes Bruno Tonioli and Alesha Dixon. "Oh no, Bruno's his favourite," Amanda insists. "Definitely Bruno."
The Heart Radio host has plenty of other projects on the go. "I've got other shows. I left drama school in 1992 and I still have that work ethic. I've had a job since I was 13 and feel fortunate to be working. That's the bottom line."
Despite her upbeat on-screen persona, Amanda admits to having her off days. "Simon always says I'm like a competition winner," she laughs. "My husband will 100% say I have grumpy days. It's not like The Truman Show in my house but I'm happy most days."
The friendship between the judges extends to their children too. Amanda says her daughter Hollie, 12, Alesha's daughter Azura, 11, and nine year old Eric are like "the Harry Potter trio".
Amanda Holden was left aghast when her kids, Eric and Hollie, made a cheeky grab for the golden buzzer on Britain's Got Talent, fearing it could spell the end of her time on the show. "I just thought this is the end of my seat on the show," she admitted, with the incident set to air in an upcoming episode.
Describing her daughter Hollie as a mini-me, Amanda gushed: "She's nuts. She'll definitely be following in my footsteps." However, her elder daughter Lexi has different aspirations. "She's very shy so there's no way she'd want to be on camera," Amanda shared. "She is an A student and off to uni. She wants to do English. Anything to do with writing. She's brilliant."
Reflecting on her own career, Amanda recalls how she landed her role on BGT back in 2007, seizing the opportunity without hesitation: "I got the call from my agent saying 'Simon Cowell wants to know...' and I just went, 'Yes'. I got on the train two days later and I didn't know anything about the show because Cheryl apparently was supposed to be doing it and lost her nerve or whatever. So thanks, Cheryl! " She boarded a train two days later, replacing Cheryl who had reportedly backed out.
The TV star also expressed her desire to see more female faces leading Saturday night television and praised Hannah Waddingham for her achievements. "I'm a huge fan," Amanda said. "To see the light shone on somebody that's really, really learned her craft is brilliant." Amanda couldn't help but chuckle at Hannah's sassy response to a photographer's request for a leggy shot. With her trademark humour, Amanda quipped: "I love her feistiness, and she's got great legs. She should probably flash them off a bit."
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