Ant and Dec all smiles as Britain's Got Talent auditions resume after Liam Payne's death

Geordie duo Ant and Dec were in fine form as they took to the Britain's Got Talent auditions red carpet in Blackpool. It follows the ITV show pausing auditions after Liam Payne's tragic death in October

tv Presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly were seen smiling as they made their Britain's Got Talent return.

The Geordie duo entertained the crowds on the red carpet as they shared a laugh together. Dec turned up in a fitted brown buttoned cardigan and shirt combination with smart black trousers. Ant meanwhile opted for a double denim look as fans waved British flags from the side-lines in Blackpool.

The crowds were clearly pleased by the decision to move the current series of the talent show, which has famously filmed the audition stages of the show at the Palladium theatre in London's West End, to Blackpool. Sources claimed the decision was due to a more electric atmosphere being present in the seaside town.

The hit ITV reality TV competition had seen its audition process halted after the devastating news of One Direction star Liam Payne's death in October last year. Liam tragically died at the age of 31 after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina in on October 16. He had formed part of the boyband, which was created by Simon on the X Factor in 2010.

The auditions for the new series initially got underway a week before the tragic incident in South America. The shocking news led to further auditions being postponed as Simon and the judges came to terms with the tragedy.

After news of Liam’s fall in Argentina broke, Simon took to social media to write: "You never really know how you feel about someone until a moment like this happens. Liam, I am devastated. Heartbroken. And I feel empty. And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I have shed is a memory of you.

"This is so difficult to put into words right now. I went outside today, and I thought about so many times we had together. I wanted to let you know what I would always say to the thousands of people who would always ask me. What is Liam like? And I would tell them you were kind, funny, sweet, thoughtful, talented, humble, focused. And how much you loved music. And how much love you genuinely had for the fans."

The auditions got back underway last week and Simon was seen to have pulled a very rude stunt to prank his fellow judges. Simon drove a van and donned his signature sunglasses and kept an arm out of the window. On his door, however, was a decal that featured a cartoon of a person sat on the toilet with their trousers down and sporting Union Jack socks. Simon also managed to get his fellow judges in on the silliness and they all posed behind a typical seaside photo board.

The latest series of the show sees YouTuber KSI take to the judging panel as he fills in for Bruno in some episodes that have already been filmed.

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