Stacey Solomon stepped in on Britain’s Got Talent tonight (March 21) – but viewers were left asking the same question: why was Simon Cowell not on the BGT panel tonight?
The episode got off to an unusual start, with Simon missing from the judging panel entirely.
Instead, Stacey filled his seat, while Amanda Holden moved along to take over as head judge. Alesha Dixon and KSI returned as normal.
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Why Simon Cowell is not on BGT tonight
Hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly quickly addressed Simon’s absence at the top of the show, revealing he was “unwell” and unable to make filming.
But it wasn’t long before fans began speculating.
“Where’s Simon?” one viewer asked. “Missed the start,” another said.
A third complained: “Simon not even on the show tonight?”
‘Seeing Amanda in Simon’s seat is weird’
Others were more distracted by the shake-up in the panel.
“Amanda sitting where Simon normally sits… weird,” one wrote.
“Seeing Amanda sat in Simon’s seat is so weird,” another agreed.
Meanwhile, Stacey’s appearance sparked mixed reactions, with some viewers unsure about the change and others praising her.
What really happened to Simon Cowell?
It later emerged that Simon wasn’t actually unwell. Instead, his absence was down to a painful accident behind the scenes.
Auditions in Birmingham were actually thrown into chaos after he suffered a fall, forcing filming to be postponed.
Returning to the panel the following day – scenes which aired later in tonight’s episode – Simon revealed what happened.
“I fell down some steps and I bumped my head. But I’m fine now,” he said.
However, the fall appeared to be more than just a minor stumble. The TV boss was seen with a visible graze on his head when he came back, proving the nasty tumble had left its mark.
“True story,” he added, as the injury was shown on screen.
While Simon insisted he’s okay, the incident was enough to take him out of action for part of the auditions – leading to Stacey stepping in at the last minute.
Britain’s Got Talent continues on ITV next Saturday (March 28) at 6.45pm.
Read more: Britain’s Got Talent favourite announces pregnancy
So what did you think of Stacey’s turn on the BGT panel? Tell us on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.