Britain’s Got Talent shock as judge Simon Cowell reveals he is still struggling with painful medical condition while filming the new series
Britain’s Got Talent judge Simon Cowell suggested he is still suffering from a painful medical issue after first opening up about it last year.
The TV mogul, 65, shared how he suffers from debilitating migraines last year when he worried fans after being forced to miss a couple of auditions during filming.
Simon wears a pair of red-tinted glasses to protect his eyes while shooting in the studio under bright lights for long periods of time.
A new picture which was shared by Simon on Tuesday showed the judges reuniting at the BGT auditions as filming for the new series kicks off.
Simon was wearing a pair of the coloured lens glasses in the snap, suggesting he is still struggling with migraines a year on.
Alongside him were his fellow judges Amanda Holden, 53, Alesha Dixon, 46, and Bruno Tonioli, 69, as they began a new series.Revealing they were in Blackpool for the next round of auditions, Simon declared: ‘We’re back!’
In February last year, Simon took to his Instagram as he explained to some ‘concerned’ fans that he needs them for health reasons.
He finished off saying: ‘Next week we are filming BGT in Manchester – I look forward to seeing you then. PS. This is why I wear these glasses!’
Sharing a shot of him wearing the glasses while on the judging panel, he wrote: ‘I just found out according to the internet, I have a ‘mystery illness’.
‘For anyone concerned, I missed two auditions at the end of one day, two weeks ago, because I do get migraines after long days in the filming lights.
This series the judges will once again be joined by hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly while YouTube star KSI will also make a guest appearance on the show.
The series was postponed in October following the death of Liam Payne, who rose to fame on Simon’s show, the X Factor in 2010.
In a statement following Liam’s death in October, a spokesman for the programme’s producer, Freemantle UK, said: ‘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.’Simon had decided last minute to call off the auditions in Blackpool as he discovered the shocking news.
Following Liam’s passing, a ‘devastated’ Simon paid a heartfelt tribute to the ‘kind, funny and talented’ One Direction star, who ‘never forgot the fans’.
Taking to Instagram, he wrote: ‘You never really know how you feel about someone until a moment like this happens.
‘Liam, I am truly devastated. Heartbroken. And I feel empty. And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I have shed is a memory of you.
‘This is so difficult to put in words right now. I went outside today, and I thought about so many times we had together.
‘I wanted to let you know what I would always say to the thousands of people who would always ask me. What is Liam like? And I would tell them you were kind, funny, sweet, thoughtful, talented, humble, focused. And how much you loved music. And how much love you genuinely had for the fans.
‘I had to tell you when you were 14 that this wasn’t your time. And we both made a promise that we would meet again. A lot of people would have given up. You didn’t. You came back and within months the whole world knew Liam.
‘And you never forgot the fans. I watched you spending so much time with people who had wanted to meet you. You really cared.’You came to see me last year. Not for a meeting. Just to sit and talk. And we reminisced about all of the fun times we had together.
‘And how proud you were to be a Dad. After you left, I was reminded that you were still the sweet, kind boy I met all of those years ago.’
He continued: ‘I have met your son, Bear. He has your smile and that twinkle in his eyes you have. And he will be so proud of everything you achieved. And how you achieved it.
‘I always thought of the 5 of you in the band as brothers. And reading their messages today I believe you were.
‘And now Liam, I can see the effect you had on so many people. Because you left us too soon.
‘Rest in peace my friend. And I am sending my love, thoughts and prayers to your family. Simon X’
The auditions resumed after Britain’s Got Talent made a huge change to the audition process.
Show bosses pulled the plug on hosting the auditions in the London Palladium and they will now all be held in Blackpool instead.
