Simon Cowell has been officially prohibited from chewing gum on the set of Britain's Got Talent after production staff grew increasingly frustrated with his sticky habit. The 66-year-old television personality, record executive, and businessman, who has served as a judge on the ITV reality competition series since its 2007 launch, was found to have left a "masticated mass" of gum under the panel desk following recent auditions.
Producers Implement Strict No-Gum Policy
According to sources close to the production, Cowell's persistent gum-chewing created significant headaches for the show's staff. "Simon is always chewing gum on set and has left producers with a real headache," an insider revealed to The Sun. "They tried to implement the gum ban, but telling Simon 'No' is a task in itself."
The ban has now been extended to the entire judging panel, which currently includes Amanda Holden (who has served alongside Cowell since the show's inception), Alesha Dixon, and newcomer KSI, who replaced Bruno Tonioli this season. All four judges have been instructed that chewing gum is no longer permitted during filming.
A Sticky Situation On and Off Stage
The gum-related issues extended beyond the desk contamination. Cowell recently found himself in an embarrassing situation when a wad of gum became stuck to his black trousers during filming. "He didn't have a clue he had gum stuck to his trousers as he walked out on stage in front of thousands of fans," the source explained.
Ironically, Cowell had previously identified his gum-chewing as his "most annoying habit" in an interview with The Sun, specifically mentioning his preference for CB12 gum, a specialized product retailing for approximately £5 that promises to eliminate bad breath. "I chew gum really loudly and it drives everyone mad," Cowell admitted.
Additional Production Challenges This Season
This gum controversy follows another production intervention earlier in the season when show bosses had to step in to prevent Cowell from causing mayhem with stink bombs. After discovering that his Blackpool hotel featured a joke shop, Cowell purchased a collection of stink bombs, much to the dismay of production staff when they learned of his plans.
"Word got round that the stink bombs had been bought and the producers gave us a big talking to. We weren't allowed them," Amanda Holden explained during a press day with Metro and other media outlets.
A Return to Chaotic Form
Despite these production challenges, the judges have described the current nineteenth season as a return to the chaotic energy that originally made the show popular. The competition for golden buzzer acts has been particularly intense this year, with judges reportedly fighting over which acts would receive the coveted honor.
"We were fighting over the golden buzzers a lot. That was funny," Simon laughed during recent interviews. Alesha Dixon elaborated on one particularly dramatic moment: "I could sense Simon getting up, and I literally dived. I've never dived before. I dived onto the desk. For me overall, this season felt like we were back to the chaos that we love on our show. More than ever it just felt really bonkers."
Hosts Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly have also noted the unpredictable nature of this season's auditions, with McPartlin stating they were "surprised more this series than ever before" from their vantage point in the theater wings.
Britain's Got Talent continues to air on ITV1, with representatives for both Simon Cowell and ITV declining to comment on the gum ban when contacted by Metro. The show maintains its position as one of British television's most unpredictable entertainment programs, where, as the hosts noted, "you just don't know what's going to come on screen from one week to the next."
