PALIN MITENK BLOG

Blast from the past: Amanda Holden looks horrified as she is shown a clip of her first TV appearance on ITV's dating show Blind Date in 1991


Nineteen years ago she was an ungroomed and unknown actress trying to make her way on to television by any means possible.

So it's little wonder that the now glamorous Amanda Holden looked horrified when her game show past was dragged publicly before her talent show present.

The Britain's Got Talent judge was appearing on chat show This Morning on ITV today when she was shown a clip of her aged 20 in 1991 appearing on ITV's old dating show Blind Date, which was hosted by Cilla Black.

She gasped in horror but started laughing and put her hand over her mouth as the clip was played, which showed her with unplucked eyebrows and crooked teeth - a far cry from the immaculate beauty she is today.

Amanda, now aged 38, was today doing the rounds to promote her new TV show Amanda Holden's Fantasy Lives, which starts tomorrow on ITV at 9pm and shows the Wild At Heart actress take on some of her dream jobs.

She first visited BBC Radio Two where she was snapped getting out of her car in an electric blue dress and matching heels.


Babe in blue: Amanda sports a bright blue dress and matching shoes as she appeared on radio and TV to promote her new show Amanda Holden's Fantasy Lives which starts on ITV tomorrow night


Then it was on to have a chat with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on This Morning during which she spoke about tomorrow night's episode in which she works as a Parisian showgirl at the Lido on the Champs-Elysées.

She only had a few days to learn the complicated and gruelling dance routines and said it was 'really tough'.

She said: I was the size of one of those girls' legs when I was on that stage, it's embarrassing.

The outfits were really really heavy and also because I was just there for two weeks, I was wearing a 6ft 2in model's outfit so the tights I have wrapped around my feet, and the headpiece - because I've got a big head - is really cutting in to the back of my head so it was really tough.


Her name was Holden...she was a showgirl: Amanda dons an impressive headdress as she prepares to be a Parisian showgirl


'I don't have that muscle in my head that makes you learn dance routines fast. I had ten days to learn four dance routines, and in one of the routines I was saying "who the hell choreographed this, it's ridiculous... I cant be expected to learn this" and it was Craig Revel Horwood! And he turned up at the end to judge me!'

And having spent the past three years judging the general public on Britain's Got Talent, she said she is totally prepared to have the tables turned on her.

She said: 'I always bang on [on Britain's Got Talent] about how I'm the only performer and the only one that's been on stage [out of the judges] and it is really important for me to keep putting myself out there and I've got pretty tough skin so people can criticise me or enjoy it or whatever - I have to be prepared to take it because I dish it out.'


Stunt double: Amanda tries her hand at being a stuntwoman on a motorbike and as a Los Angeles policewoman


On other episodes of the show, Amanda also becomes a country and western singer and a Los Angeles stuntwoman, which she said was her favourite.

She said: 'I would give everything up to be a stunt women. I used to hate it when I was an actress and I hate to have someone come in and do it because I'm a dare devil... I had to throw myself off a building, I had a massive punch up with this woman, I did karate fighting... but the best thing was the driving - doing 180 degree handbrake turns! I loved it.'

Turning to Britain's Got Talent, with Amanda, Simon Cowell and Piers Morgan returning as judges for the fourth series which starts in April, she said: 'Do you know what, I've had friends come to watch the auditions who have said it's faster, it's slicker, and that everyone that comes on stage is worth using.


Howdy, y'all: Amanda tests out her Southern drawl as she takes on the role of a country and western singer


'All of it has been hilarious for the right reasons and the wrong reasons... I'm always sworn to secrecy but there's been gravy... and ducks... not in a meal! There's just some really bizarre things.'

She added: 'I think we've found somebody that could be a moment... I don't like to keep saying we had Susan Boyle and that's a stand alone moment and I don't think that will ever be repeated but I think we have a moment that's very... interesting.

It's ace and it's so lovely to be back.'


With Piers Morgan (L) and Simon Cowell, her fellow judges on Britain's Got Talent, which starts on ITV in April

source: dailymail