Simon Cowell was missing from portions of the latest episode of Britain’s Got Talent, with KSI stepping in to take his place on the judging panel.

Viewers of Britain’s Got Talent were left puzzled after Simon Cowell was noticeably absent for parts of the latest episode.

The popular ITV talent show returned to our screens on Saturday night (March 22), in search of the nation’s next big star.

Judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, Bruno Tonioli and guest judge KSI were back in action, along with hosts Ant and Dec. However, Simon Cowell was conspicuously missing at various points throughout the episode.

In Cowell’s absence, KSI filled his seat on the panel, joining Amanda, Alesha and Bruno.

Interrupting the show to share the news, Ant and Dec announced: “We have a spare chair. Unfortunately Simon can”t be with us today. So we have a very special guest judge KSI.”, reports Wales Online.

Britain's Got Talent

Simon was missing (Image: ITV)

Simon’s absence certainly sparked conversation among viewers online. One person commented on X: “A show without Simon?!” Another posted: “Ahhh Simon was off when Liam Payne died,” accompanied by a sad face emoji.

Cowell missed the audition – which took place at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool in the first week of October 2024 – due to the death of Liam Payne. The singer tragically passed away aged 31 on October 16, 2024, following a fatal fall from a hotel balcony in Argentina.

The audition process for Britain’s Got Talent was temporarily halted following the devastating news of Liam Payne’s death. An ITV spokesperson released a statement saying: “Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, we have decided to postpone the Britain’s Got Talent auditions. Our thoughts are with Liam’s friends, family and all who loved him.”

BGT

KSI stepped in to replace Simon (Image: ITV)

A week after the tragedy, the auditions picked up again, albeit without Simon Cowell, who was briefly substituted by internet sensation KSI.

Simon Cowell had first encountered Liam when he tried out as a solo artist on The X Factor at just 14 years old in 2008, but he didn’t make it to the live shows. Advised to “return in two years”, Liam did exactly that, reappearing on The X Factor in 2010 for its seventh series.

Liam’s journey led him to be grouped with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik to form One Direction. Under Simon’s guidance, One Direction secured third place on the show and skyrocketed to fame, becoming the most successful UK boyband of the 21st century.

Britain’s Got Talent airs every Saturday at 7pm on ITV1.