Kelly Brook: Ant and Dec were the reason I left Britain's Got Talent

The Weekender

Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for exclusive competitions, offers and theatre ticket deals

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Kelly Brook has blamed her sudden departure from Britain's Got Talent on hosts Ant and Dec.

Egos: Kelly Brook and Ant & Dec didn't see eye to eye

The TV presenter joined the ITV talent show's judging panel in January this year at the request of creator Simon Cowell, but was sacked six days later and was told the four-judge format was "too complicated".

But the former model today claimed that Ant, 33, and 34-year-old Dec - full names Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly - were the reason behind it after they admitted that she was "wrong from the start".

Brook, 29, said: "The people at ITV were telling me that I had upset Ant and Dec and that was it.

"I would love to have stayed on the show. I really felt it was working out. Ant and Dec had never been anything but pleasant to my face but, clearly, they didn't want me on the show.

"Their egos are such that they were saying to themselves How dare she think she can come on to our show?', and since then they've been very vocal about their displeasure at me being there."

They duo claimed in their autobiography that she hadn't even watched one single episode after she asked them what they did on the show.

A few weeks after her departure, Donnelly admitted: "We were angry about Kelly. But it was because no one asked our opinion. What was upsetting was that it happened in the first place. It was wrong from the start."

But Brook said she was shocked at their behaviour especially as her fellow judges, Amanda Holden, and Piers Morgan, were very welcoming.

She said: "Amanda Holden was put into a very difficult position because the press were trying to make out that it was Amanda versus Kelly, like they did with Cheryl and Dannii Minogue on X Factor, but she was very supportive."

And she said Cowell admitted to her: "You don't even want to know what was going on behind the scenes. It is just a case of some people not wanting you there."

"And that's what it was all about - a clash of egos. My ego was dented, but it didn't affect the way I am or how I feel about the industry.

"As for Ant and Dec, good luck to them. They are rich and they are happy, but they won't be in my autobiography, even if I am in theirs!"

Brook also hinted that she was ready to settle down with her boyfriend, England rugby star Danny Cipirani, 21.

She said: "I turn 30 next month and I see it as an achievement that I've got to this age without getting married and having children. Not that I've got anything against either, but I have been with so many guys who have said "You're mine.

Let's get married and have kids" and I have always said no because I have always wanted my independence and my own life.

"But now that I am with Danny, properly as a couple, I am looking forward to giving all that up."

She starts her new role in the West End production of Calendar Girls at the Noel Coward theatre next week but admitted she was slightly concerned about taking her clothes off.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

MORE ABOUT