Francine Lewis says she doesn't think new BGT judge Bruno Tonioli can 'fill ... trends now
Francine Lewis has admitted that she doesn't think Bruno Tonioli is the right person to replace David Walliams on the Britain's Got Talent panel as he would be able to 'fill his boots.'
David quit the ITV show ahead of its 2023 series, weeks after he was forced to apologise over vile comments he made about contestants.
And speaking exclusively to MailOnline ahead of her new TV series Deep Fake Neighbour Wars, Francine, 47, said she 'couldn't see' Bruno on the panel and insisted that she should be a judge instead.
Having her say: Francine Lewis has admitted that she doesn't think Bruno Tonioli is the right person to replace David Walliams on the Britain's Got Talent panel as he would be able to 'fill his boots'
Discussing Bruno's appointment amid his debut at the BGT auditions this week Francine said: 'I don't think he will be able to fill David's boots. I really don't. I don't think he's going to be a David Walliams.
'To me, I look at him as Strictly [Come Dancing], I can't see him as Britain's Got Talent.'
The TV star, who shot to fame on BGT in 2013, went on to sharing her support for the David amid his shock exit from the ITV show in November.
Newcomer: Speaking exclusively to MailOnline ahead of her new show Deep Fake Neighbour Wars, Francine, 47, said she 'couldn't see' Bruno on the panel and she should be a judge instead
She said: 'It's so sad because to me, that panel really, really works - and partly because of David. David is just so funny, but he's so lovely as well.
'And being a contestant on the show, David made me feel so welcome from the minute I walked onto that stage. I love David Williams, I'm really upset he's going.'
David's future on BGT was in doubt after he described an elderly contestant as a c*** and made vile sexual remarks about a female who was also competing on the show.
Exit: David quit the ITV show ahead of its 2023 series, weeks after he was forced to apologise over vile comments he made about contestants (pictured on the show in June)
The comments, made in January 2020 during auditions at the London Palladium, were picked up on the programme's microphones and revealed in November.
And while Francine - who also opened up about her husband's 'cheating' scandal - believes that Bruno may not be the right fit for the panel, she told how it would be a 'dream' for herself to be a judge instead.
Explaining why she'd be better suited, she explained: 'That would be my dream job. I've done talent shows forever
