Amanda Holden calls Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh 'pathetic'

She is the only judge Simon Cowell has kept firmly by his side for 17 years over the course of his seven talent shows.

And to return to the favour, Amanda Holden has waded in on the row between the music mogul and his former X Factor panellists Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh by branding them 'bitter and pathetic'.

It comes after Sharon, 71, and Louis, 71, appeared on Celebrity Big Brother and poked fun at Simon appearance joking he would 'need more Botox' by the time she'd finished exposing him to the nation.

The Britain's Got Talent judge, 53, said: 'I hated seeing certain people in a reality show dissing Simon - he's the person who's given them all the chances, given them a lot of money and a lifestyle they probably wouldn't have had.

'It's bitter and pathetic. It was like Cinderella with her two sisters in the background - just stabby, stabby, stabby.'

Appearing on Celebrity Big Brother last month, Sharon said she was 'furious' with Simon because she claimed he didn't renew her contract when she expected he would which meant she lost out on another major TV gig.

Meanwhile, Louis revealed he no longer spoke to his former partner in crime despite once sharing the most talked about bromance in Britain.

Amanda said: 'I thought, "Oh my God, it's like watching a pantomime." I just think they look so nasty and awful.

'There was a friendship there and an opportunity. So however the business ends, you should have respect for the opportunity that was given to you and the pay cheque that was given to you. Just be gracious. There was none of that and I can't bear it.'

The Heart Radio host has been friends with Simon since she joined the first series of Britain's Got Talent as a judge and they have remained close - spending time with one another outside of the show.

Commenting on his former friend's comments Simon, who is father to ten-year-old Eric with his long-term partner Lauren Silverman said: 'I have no phone and I never go on social media so I don't have a clue what's going on most of the time.

'It's part of the key to happiness, when I turned my phone off eight years ago, that was the beginning.'

The latest series of Britain's Got Talent will return next Saturday with Simon and Amanda joined by Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli.

Simon said of the panel: 'If something works, why change it?'

'I'm really very lucky because they're all friends of mine. It's not awkward and we know each other really well. We have a similar sense of humour, we like the same things and we hang out together. I couldn't imagine the show without everyone there.'

Simon has a history of mixing up the judging panels on his shows with Sharon left 'furious' and claiming it was 'ageism' that led her to be fired from X Factor in 2019.

But Amanda, who has remained on BGT since its conception, said: 'Simon and I have known each other for more than 20 years, but we've become especially close in the last five years. Our children love each other. 

'We see each other for dinner, it's a bond that's been really cemented. So yeah, it's going be very difficult for him to get rid of me now, and even worse now that my Hollie and his Eric are very good friends. They're like a little double act, but charmingly naughty.'