Michael McIntyre felt ‘rejected and upset’ after Simon Cowell ‘fired’ him from Britain’s Got Talent

He was on the show for just one series

Michael McIntyre previously opened up about getting the boot from ITV series Britain’s Got Talent.

Funnyman Michael is a firm favourite with viewers. From stints on BGT to The Wheel, Michael – on screen with 25 Years of Laughs this weekend (January 18) – has kept himself booked and busy over the years.

In the early 2010s though, he faced a career blow when it was announced that Michael would not be returning to BGT. And according to Michael, he felt “rejected and upset”.

The comedian was a judge on BGT (Credit: ITV)

Michael McIntyre on Britain’s Got Talent

Michael joined Britain’s Got Talent during the 20111 series. He appeared alongside judges Amanda Holden, David Hasselhoff and, during the live shows, Simon Cowell.

Unfortunately for Michael though, he remained on the show for just one series before being given the boot.

Both Michael and David were replaced on the panel in 2012 by Alesha Dixon and David Walliams.

Michael McIntyre axed from ITV show BGT

Recalling his BGT journey, Michael wrote: “Simon Cowell invited me to be a judge on Britain’s Got Talent and I immediately assumed I would become the nation’s sweetheart like Cheryl Cole had on The X Factor,” he wrote in his autobiography A Funny Life, released in 2021.

However, things didn’t go to plan for Michael – who now hosts The Wheel on BBC.

Michael revealed that he heard about his axing whilst on a romantic getaway with wife Kitty, sitting on the Eurostar to Paris.

He was only on the show for one series (Credit: SplashNews.com)

Michael McIntyre ‘upset’ over BGT axe

“I felt rejected and upset,” Michael said about being “let go” from the long-running ITV show.

Michael explained: “Adding my name to the list of people Simon Cowell had fired was a blow to my ego. My publicist Gary Farrow had already released a statement saying I’d quit the show to concentrate on my tour, and that became the narrative. I jumped before I was pushed.”

‘It was a different thing for me to do’

Meanwhile back in 2012, Michael opened up about leaving Britain’s Got Talent, and said the job was “too much of a departure” from his day-to-day career as a comedian.

He told MailOnline: “It was a different thing for me to do because obviously I work very hard to be a comedian and perform on stage and then to sit and judge other people was an odd experience, because it’s not something I’m used to.

“And it’s hard to be brutally honest. Because you have to have one eye on how you are going to look. And the standard wasn’t amazing, because a lot of it is for laughs anyway.

“It was wonderful to do but I was just desperate to get back on stage and I didn’t get the feeling that anyone was watching the show for my judging.”