Michael McIntyre set to become Britain's Got Talent judge

Tim Clark15 December 2010

Comedian Michael McIntyre has been confirmed as one of the judges for the hit ITV show Britain’s Got Talent.

McIntyre has been signed up by the broadcaster to appear alongside David Hasselhoff and Amanda Holden in the next series of the talent show, which has become one of the most popular shows on UK television.

McIntyre is replacing Piers Morgan who is set to head to the U.S. to take over from chat show legend Larry King while another stalwart of the programme, Simon Cowell, is set to miss the early audition parts of the show due to other commitments.

Speaking about the appointment McIntyre said: "I'm a massive fan of Britain's Got Talent and am extremely excited to be a judge on the new series. I was so thrilled when Simon Cowell asked me that I immediately wanted to run in to Ant and Dec's arms to celebrate!"

Elaine Bedell, ITV Director of Entertainment and Comedy, said: "Michael has established himself as one of the biggest names in comedy and entertainment in this country and, as someone who made his big breakthrough on the Royal Variety Performance, he knows exactly the pressures facing the acts on Britain's Got Talent."

McIntyre has risen through the higher echelons of British comedy to become one of the best-known comedians in the UK, however the comedian cast doubts this week that he will ever follow in Piers Morgan’s footsteps and ‘crack’ America.

In an interview in The Metro where 34-year-old McIntyre talks about his new book, the comedian admitted that he has plans to stay in the UK in the near future.

“I’m not going to crack America. I’m staying, sorry. It’s taken me long enough to sort things out here and I don’t want to start again somewhere else.”