Britain’s Got Talent judges ‘rift’ exposed after telling response to co-star's ‘showboating’

Britain's Got Talent returned at the weekend - but it seems as though the relationship between the judges could be crumbling.

YouTuber KSI has been welcomed with open arms in a clear bid from ITV to appeal to Gen-Z, with boss Simon Cowell clearly pleased with the decision. However, Bruno Tonioli appeared to have some trouble engaging with his co-stars, with his 'showboating' resulting in some telling looks, according to body language expert Judi James.

Speaking to the Mirror, she pointed out that the dynamic between the judges suggested there was some "open favouritism" towards Bruno's replacement KSI, while the former Strictly judge was "virtually ignored". The YouTuber was drafted in to replace Bruno for several episode due to filming clashes.

Judi told us: " Britain's Got Talent erupted into a potential off-stage talent show on Saturday as Bruno and newbie stand-in KSI fought it out for the fourth chair on the judges' panel. The body language dynamic between the judges suggested some open favoritism, with KSI appearing as a complimentary team player while Bruno set up his own 'kingdom' at the end of the table, appearing to get virtually ignored by the others as he did so.

"Simon Cowell stamped his alpha authority on this series via a rather awkward appearance as the King of England during the opening moments. It was a long, theatrical sketch that seemed to do very little in the way of laughs but a lot to boost Cowell's status and ego.

"KSI arrived as Bruno's stand-in with sufficient mugging to the camera to create a stir but with an ability to mirror the others enough to integrate well. His arrival was all wide-opened mouth and splayed fingers but he hugged the other judges and used matching techniques to blend by copying Alesha's screeching open mouthed laughter.

"KSI got a huge cheer from the live audience, but he kept his showboating and his egging on rituals for the stage alone. Once on the panel his body language blended well without making any effort to upstage.

"Simon Cowell performed two huge rituals of approval for KSI by very deliberately walking down to pat him after the first act, with the line 'You were born to do this'. Simon looked like Mufasa in the Lion King showing his cub off to the crowd with a ritual of proud parenthood.

"When we later saw the judges talking in a group it was Simon 'Mufasa' Cowell again registering pride and approval as he grinned at KSI and power-patted him on the shoulder.

"Bruno returned to the second show in a tsunami of unashamed showboating. He eyeballed the moving camera to pin it on himself, slipping his jacket off like a stripper and pouting down the lens. As Simon tried to talk into the mic it was Bruno at the other end of the desk waving his arms at the audience to rev up some chanting of his name that drowned Simon out. Simon was caught in a pose of what looked like frustration and irritation, clutching the mic and staring downward with an irritated-looking lower jaw jut.

"Bruno played to the audience rather than the rest of the panel, turning in his seat or jumping up to mug towards them rather than the others. The technique of playing direct to the audience appeared to have separated him in terms of any other set pieces or communications. The cameras picked up no point of response from Alesha who sat next to him. He stretched his hand out towards her more than once to share his reaction to an act but she appeared oblivious. At one point we saw the other three judges chatting in a gaggle while Bruno sat alone at the end of the desk, looking downward."

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