Simon Cowell’s awkward blunders – show name mishap, Eric apology and breaking set

Simon Cowell is back on our screens for the live Britain’s Got Talent semi-finals ahead of the grand finale this weekend.

Though the music mogul is a legend in reality TV and talent circles, even the most hardened professionals make mistakes sometimes.

And the camera doesn’t lie!

READ MORE: BGT’s Bruno Tonioli slams show complaints as he supports Amanda Holden’s sexy frocks

Simon, 63, was an X Factor judge for years and has appeared on BGT on and off since 2007, so that’s a lot of airtime to make blunders on air.

So from him swearing live on air to getting his shows mixed up, Daily Star has taken a look back at some of Simon’s most memorable telly mishaps over the years.

Strawgate

Simon recently made an embarrassing gaffe on Britain’s Got Talent after he went to take a sip from his straw but he dramatically missed his mouth.

The amusing mishap happened as dancer Musa Motha and singer Amy Lou became the first confirmed finalists.

So rather than paying attention to the two talented performers, viewers were distracted by Simon’s inability to execute a simple task – drinking.

One tweeted: “The highlight of tonight’s show was Simon not being able to find his straw #BGT.”

While another commented: “Simon and his straw, @antanddec falling on stage, Bruno getting the name wrong, welcome back #BGT.”

A third quipped: “Simon just created a meme with the glass/straw, I’m sure. #BGT.”

Royal Variety Performance smash

Another epic staging fail was when Simon appeared at the Royal Variety Performance in 2022.

He was invited to the event to introduce comic Axel Blake, his golden buzzer favourite.

However, the actual golden buzzer became the star of the show.

When pretending to hit the famed button, Simon actually broke it and knocked it off its stand, to the amusement of host Lee Mack.

Viewers loved it, with one tweeting: “Simon Cowell with one job. F**ked it.

Another chimed in: “Oh Simon Cowell breaking the golden buzzer.”

Alongside laughing emojis, a third said: “You had one job, Simon.”

Covid filming puzzle

When the BGT semi-finalists were announced back in 2020 after the three-month summer break, it was done so by phone.

In previous years the lucky wannabes were always informed in person.

And it was nothing to do with social distancing or lockdown either as that part of the show was filmed before the pandemic.

Eagle-eyed viewers were quick to question the odd decision.

One viewer tweeted: “Filmed before COVID why are you calling them then? #bgt.”

“If this was filmed back in February I wonder why they decided to tell the acts over the phone this year? #BGT,” a second posted.

A third said: “So the acts were given a phone call to say if they’re through or not instead of everyone being there in person (bearing in mind this was filmed back in February) Very Strange.”

BGT…What?

Back in 2015, Simon became a little confused when announcing the winner on Italia’s Got Talent, the muddled mogul mistakenly called it The X Factor.

Standing with Italian host Vanessa Incontrada, Simon proudly proclaimed: “I’ve always wanted to do this.

“The winner of X Factor Italia 2015 is Simone Al Ani.”

Gamely referencing the massive error, Simon took to Twitter to address the blip.

“Oops. I just announced the winner of Got Talent in Italy as the winner of the X Factor. Slightly awkward. Sorry,” he posted.

“I think I will stick to being a judge.”

Eric apology

Simon had to check himself live on air last year when he swore after a performance by BGT finalists Flintz & Taylor.

The duo forgot their lyrics and it even caused fellow judge Alisha Dixon to cry for them.

Simon, also deeply sympathetic, said the situation was “s***” – but immediately apologise to his son Eric, eight, for the bad language.

The curse was also before the 9pm watershed.

The singers were so overcome with nerves they forgot the words and Simon said to them: “Who gives a s… Apologies, Eric. Who gives an [s-*-*-*] if you forget lyrics?

“The most important thing was it reminded me of how much this means to you.”

Britain’s Got Talent continues tonight on ITV1 and ITVX at 8pm

For more of the latest showbiz and TV news from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up for one of our newsletters here

Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk