With the launch of the next series of Britain’s Got Talent this weekend, Amanda Holden has revealed the awkward reason why Simon Cowell would ‘never’ sack her from the show.

The TV personality, 53, has been part of the furniture at the ITV talent show for 17 years, yet aside from her shining personality as a judge there is another reason why Simon would never axe Amanda.

The pair recently became neighbours, so it would be rather awkward if they were to bump into each other at the local pub.

Last year Simon, 64, swapped his London mansion for a country house in the Cotswolds near where Amanda has lived for years.

While the duo are also known to have a close friendship, Amanda explained: ‘I see Simon most weekends in the Cotswolds, so it would be very uncomfortable for him.

Amanda Holden has revealed the awkward reason why Simon Cowell would 'never' sack her from Britain's Got Talent
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Amanda Holden has revealed the awkward reason why Simon Cowell would ‘never’ sack her from Britain’s Got Talent

The TV personality, 53, has been part of the furniture at the ITV talent show for 17 years and Amanda joked that Simon can't sack her as the pair recently became neighbours, so it would be rather awkward if they were to bump into each other at the local pub
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The TV personality, 53, has been part of the furniture at the ITV talent show for 17 years and Amanda joked that Simon can’t sack her as the pair recently became neighbours, so it would be rather awkward if they were to bump into each other at the local pub

‘My local pub is now their local pub, so often I’ll get a table and the manager will go, “Oh, you know your friend Simon is coming in?” and I’ll go, “Oh for God’s sake! OK, let’s just turn it into a table for ten then”.’

However, jokes aside, Amanda insisted that she is still grateful for the opportunity to work on BGT and treats each series like it could be her last.

She recalled: ‘That call to say ‘You’ve got a job’, it’s still the most amazing day for me, even 30 years into my career. I never know I’m coming back for BGT. We do not have long contracts, we’re contracted yearly and I’ve never expected it.’

While judges including Piers Morgan, Baywatch actor David Hasselhoff and comic David Walliams have come and gone, Amanda has always remained on the panel.

Aside from BGT, Amanda also hosts the Heart FM Breakfast show alongside Ashley Roberts and Jamie Theakston and has her own show with Alan Carr, Amanda & Alan’s Italian Job.

Amanda and Simon looked thick as thieves as they shared a giggle while posing with their fellow judges Bruno Tonioli and Alesha Dixon at the Ham Yard Hotel in London for a BGT Photocall on Tuesday.

The quartet are back in action for the ITV show’s 17th series with Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly returning as hosts.

She joked: 'My local pub is now their local pub, so often I'll get a table and the manager will go, "Oh, you know your friend Simon is coming in?" and I'll go, "Oh for God's sake! OK, let's just turn it into a table for ten then".'
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She joked: ‘My local pub is now their local pub, so often I’ll get a table and the manager will go, “Oh, you know your friend Simon is coming in?” and I’ll go, “Oh for God’s sake! OK, let’s just turn it into a table for ten then”.’

Amanda and Simon looked thick as thieves as they shared a giggle while posing with their fellow judges Bruno Tonioli and Alesha Dixon at the Ham Yard Hotel in London for a BGT Photocall on Tuesday
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Amanda and Simon looked thick as thieves as they shared a giggle while posing with their fellow judges Bruno Tonioli and Alesha Dixon at the Ham Yard Hotel in London for a BGT Photocall on Tuesday

While judges including Piers Morgan, Baywatch actor David Hasselhoff and comic David Walliams have come and gone, Amanda has always remained on the panel and has a strong friendship with Simon
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While judges including Piers Morgan, Baywatch actor David Hasselhoff and comic David Walliams have come and gone, Amanda has always remained on the panel and has a strong friendship with Simon

Amanda recently found herself in a feud with Sharon Osbourne after the 71-year-old branded her an 'ill-informed sycophantic' in an acid-tongued social media letter
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Amanda recently found herself in a feud with Sharon Osbourne after the 71-year-old branded her an ‘ill-informed sycophantic’ in an acid-tongued social media letter

Amanda and Simon put on a united front after Sharon branded her an ‘ill-informed sycophantic’ in an acid-tongued social media letter.

Amanda had previously defended Simon on Friday, calling Sharon, 71, and Louis Walsh, 71, ‘bitter and pathetic’ after they tore into the music mogul on Celebrity Big Brother.

During their appearance on the reality show, Sharon told Louis that Simon doesn’t know how to maintain friendships, implying they hadn’t spoken in a long time.

In an acid-tongue letter posted on X, Sharon blasted Amanda after she said Simon had ‘given them a lot of money and a lifestyle they probably wouldn’t have had’.

Amanda had told the Daily Mail’s Weekend Magazine: ‘I hated seeing certain people in a reality show dissing Simon – he’s the person who’s given them all the chances, given them a lot of money and a lifestyle they probably wouldn’t have had.

‘It’s bitter and pathetic. It was like Cinderella with her two sisters in the background – just stabby, stabby, stabby.’

You can read the interview in Weekend magazine in full by clicking here. 

12 hours later, Sharon took to Twitter to issue the presenter with a full statement and accused her of being an ‘ill informed sycophantic’.

Her comments to the Daily Mail Weekend Magazine enraged Sharon who retaliated in a rant on X in which she said: ‘You don’t know me, Amanda. Unlike you, the brand of Sharon Osbourne is known worldwide.’

When asked Amanda refused to comment on the former X Factor judge’s outburst but told MailOnline: ‘Oh it’s all b******s. Let’s not give oxygen to any of that.’

Sharon took to Twitter to issue the presenter with a full statement and accused her of being an 'ill informed sycophantic'
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Sharon took to Twitter to issue the presenter with a full statement and accused her of being an ‘ill informed sycophantic’

Sharon went on to list her career accolades and those of her husband as she made a case as to why she didn't need Simon Cowell
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Sharon went on to list her career accolades and those of her husband as she made a case as to why she didn’t need Simon Cowell