SIMON COWELL will be back on Britain’s Got Talent next January, we can exclusively reveal.
This week the media mogul officially put the wheels in motion for his screen comeback after breaking his back in the summer when he fell off an electric bike.
He was forced to step down as head judge on the hit ITV show this autumn while recovering at his home in Malibu.
DIVERSITY’s Ashley Banjo stood in for him alongside fellow judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams.
But after bed rest and healthy eating, Simon has given producers his guarantee that he will return for the forthcoming series.A telly source said: “Simon was gutted at having to sit out the show this year.
“But he’s been totally focused on getting better and will definitely be back on the panel.
“He’s come on in leaps and bounds recently, thanks to letting his body heal, a healthy diet and some California sun. He’s also enjoyed being surrounded by his family. But he loves his job and is raring to go, especially as BGT offers so much joy and light entertainment in dark times.
“The panel are all really excited to have him back, though they thought Ashley did a great job and he’ll definitely perform on the show again next year with Diversity.”
After the accident, which happened in front of his six-year-old son Eric, Simon needed rods inserted into his back.
His co-star Amanda feared the worst at the time. She said: “I honestly panicked. It could have been fatal.
“I got a text in the night and I couldn’t sleep afterwards.
“I felt sick, as I didn’t know how bad it was or what was going on.
“I wanted him to be alive but I also wanted him to be able to walk, as he’s such a good friend.”
Last week Simon’s pal Sinitta revealed he had ditched his vegan diet and put on weight in a bid to aid his recovery.
Little Devils
HALLOWEEN is the perfect time for Black Magic – and Jesy Nelson looked ready to celebrate the night in a devilish red outfit.
The Little Mix singer donned horns and was sprayed head-to-toe in body paint to look like occult deity Baphomet. And other celebs weren’t goint to let strict rules on parties stop them getting dressed up for spooky antics at home.
With trick-or-treating off the cards, David Beckham and daughter Harper donned vampire fangs to chomp on toffee apples.
Out in Sydney with husband Chris Hemsworth and their daughter India, meanwhile, model Elsa Pataky channelled DC anti-heroine Harley Quinn.
Victoria’s Secret model Leomie Anderson did her best Playboy Bunny impression, while singer Leona Lewis painted half her face as a skull.
And over in the US, Kate Beckinsale paid tribute to Alice In Wonderland in her sequinned Mad Hatter suit.
But Bizarre’s Best Dressed gong goes to rapper Lil Nas X, who channeled Nicki Minaj and used an ice-sculpture motorcycle to recreate her Super Bass video.
Now that’s dedication.
Miley: Maybe 11 was a bit early for memoir
MILEY Cyrus says she regrets penning an autobiography aged 11.
The singer admitted her 2009 book Miles To Go, inset, was a tad premature.
Asked about her regrets on Swedish talk show Skavlan, she said: “Maybe the fact I wrote an autobiography when I was 11.
“That seemed like someone jumped it a little bit. That seemed a little early.”
Miley also revealed how godmother Dolly Parton tells her off, in unusual fashion, for not visiting enough.
She said: “I’ve not seen her much lately because I had got so busy right before this year, 2020. I was touring a lot and doing a lot of festivals and one of the spanks she gave me was, ‘We did not need a pandemic to keep us apart. You’ve not come to see me anyway’.
“I was like, ‘Ouch!’ She only faxes, by the way. You know when someone goes in on you in a text, that is one thing.
“You can just delete it and move on. She will send it in writing, on paper.”
When you hear that fax machine fire up, Miley, you know you’re in trouble.
Fearne tells of turmoil
FEARNE Cotton has revealed she turned to medication to cope during this difficult time.
She said: “I had a huge depressive sort of year and, again, I went on medication to just get my head above the ground to start off.
“Then I sort of made lots of positive life changes.” The telly presenter and Radio 2 DJ , right, was opening up on her Happy Place podcast.
Fearne, right, added: “It doesn’t matter what sort of route you take as long as you know you’re making any kind of change, or trying something to change your point of focus.”
No shoe and tell for Maya
MAYA Jama says she’s been bombarded with requests from kinky fans for snaps of . . . her feet.
The telly host revealed on Instagram one admirer had even offered her hundreds of pounds for pics.
She said: “The joke is my feet ain’t even that nice.”
Maya also quipped that she should start an OnlyFans account for foot fanciers.
She recently hit back after a furore online over her racy outfits on BBC1’s Peter Crouch: Save Our Summer, saying: “I’ve always worn the same thing but when I was slimmer, nobody commented on it. As soon as you have a fuller figure, people are shocked and insulted by your body.
“I found it ridiculous. I’m going to continue to dress how I’ve always dressed, no matter what size I am.”
Quite right. We think you look a-May-zing.
