Inside the life of Britain's Got Talent judge Bruno Toniolo: from romance to celebrity pals

Bruno Tonioli has returned for a second season of Britain's Got Talent, receiving mixed reviews from viewers after already provoking some criticism with his judging skills.

However, the latest addition to the Britain's Got Talent (BGT) judging panel, the professional dancer joins long-serving judges Simon Cowell, 63, Alesha Dixon, 44, and Amanda Holden, 52, for the new series which began on April 21.

While Bruno is no stranger to the judging panel, having previously served on Strictly Come Dancing and its international counterpart Dancing With the Stars (DWTS), viewers may not be as familiar with his life away from the TV spotlight.

Who is Bruno?

Bruno Tonioli is a well-respected dancer and choreographer, who has worked alongside some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry including Michael Jackson, Elton John and Freddie Mercury.

During his early career in the 80s, he worked as a choreographer for music videos, stage shows and tours for Tina Turner, Sting, the Rolling Stones, Sinitta, Boy George, Dead Or Alive and Duran Duran, among others.

Bruno also produced many of Bananarama's music videos, including Venus and Movin' On.

He became a household name when he became a judge on Strictly Come Dancing from the show's first episode in 2004, but he shocked fans when he quit in 2022 after 18 years on the series.

Bruno achieved international success when he joined the judging panel of Dancing With The Stars (the US version of Strictly) in 2005, and continues to be on the show.

Last year, Bruno replaced David Walliams on the Britain's Got Talent judging panel

The former Strictly Come Dancing judge appeared on the show for the first time in April 2023, having never watched it before.

Romance

In terms of romance, Bruno, who was once linked romantically to friend Matt Law, tends to keep his relationships private. However, he has previously shared some insights into his personal life.

In a 2005 interview with the Mirror, he revealed: "I always sleep on my own. [...] Always separate bedrooms, bathrooms and closets."

He added: "I'm very individual and I want my own space."

The talent show judge also opened up about his experience growing up in Italy, stating in the same interview: "I really was the only gay in the village".

Bruno - who later admitted he was targeted by bullies before becoming "popular" - said he never discussed his sexuality with his late parents but suspected they "knew".

Net worth

Famed for his TV appearances, Bruno reportedly has an estimated net worth of £8 million according to the Sun.

Much of his wealth comes from successful TV contracts, including his role on Strictly Come Dancing where he earned an alleged salary of around £250,000 per series.

Bruno's involvement in the Britain's Got Talent panel is also rumoured to have brought him a six-figure salary.

The star served as a judge on Strictly from 2004 until his departure in 2020, working alongside familiar faces including Craig Revel Horwood, 58.

However, Bruno's TV appearances are not limited to Strictly and he has been a part of The Masked Dancer, among others.

His earlier career also saw him flexing his choreography skills in films like Ella Enchanted (2004) and Little Voice (1998).

While choreographing, Bruno had the pleasure of working with an array of music icons including Sir Elton John, Tina Turner, Freddie Mercury, the Rolling Stones, and Bananarama.

Celeb mates

The showbiz veteran counts several celebrities among his friends due to his lengthy career in the entertainment industry.

Among these notable friends is former WAG Lizzie Cundy, 54, who has referred to Bruno as her "dearest friend" in a post shared on Instagram in 2023.

They have been pictured together at various events over the years.

The Dancing With The Stars judge has a close-knit circle of celebrity friends and has maintained friendships with various former Strictly stars including Len Goodman and Craig Revel Horwood, as well as his DWTS colleague Carrie Ann Inaba.

He also shares a strong bond with his fellow judges on Britain's Got Talent, including Simon Cowell, whom Bruno revealed he's known for a "go back a very, very long time". He's also worked with Alesha Dixon on Strictly.

Last year, he was spotted catching up with fellow judge Amanda Holden and other celebrities like Piers Morgan and Gary Lineker in Los Angeles.

In 2019, Bruno shared a selfie from a festival featuring All Saints' Natalie and Nicole Appleton, Bananarama's Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward, EastEnders' Samantha Womack, and Sara's daughter Alice Dallin-Walker. He captioned the photo #friendsforever.

Lifestyle

Away from the glitz and glamour, Bruno leads a relatively normal life.

In an interview with the Daily Mail in 2022, he revealed: "When I'm not working, I don't do showbiz much. I go to the gym, see a play, have dinner. I am pretty normal."

The outlet reported that one of Bruno's hobbies is reading about history, something he had previously mentioned in a 2010 interview.

He shared with the Telegraph: "I love reading. I'm very much into history, novels, biographies and I have a wide range of thrillers."

He also mentioned his fondness for relaxing with a book while on holiday.

Bruno is well-known for his love of holidays, with one of his latest trips taking him to Sardinia last year. He once jokingly commented: "I never have enough."

Previously, Bruno hinted at how his lifestyle had been impacted by juggling both Strictly in the UK and DWTS in the US simultaneously each year for an eleven-week duration.

He explained that he would fly to Los Angeles on Sundays to work on DWTS before returning to London a few days later for Strictly, then repeating the cycle.

Bruno, who no longer judges on Strictly, expressed in an interview with the Daily Mail last year that maintaining this schedule was "insane" whilst working on both TV shows.

Adding to this, he implied that it had heavily influenced his life during the production weeks, commenting: "You don't go out, you don't see anyone. [...] Basically, you don't have a life."

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