Amanda Holden has updated fans about the reason behind her Saturday Night Takeaway absence, which came just hours after Sharon Osbourne issued a scathing rant aimed at her.
Holden, 53, found herself at the centre of a bitter row over the weekend after she defended Simon Cowell, 64, against Osbourne and Louis Walsh, both 71.
Earlier this year, the two former X Factor stars took aim at music mogul Cowell during an appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, with Osbourne admitting she was “furious” when she was dropped from the singing show as a judge.
The pair laughed as they also poked fun at Cowell’s appearance, with reality star Osbourne commenting he would "need more botox" by the time she’d finished talking about him.
Walsh revealed he didn’t speak to Cowell anymore as he agreed with Osbourne’s takedown of the media personality.
Holden took aim at the pair as she waded into the row last week, commenting: "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.
Osbourne and Holden are embroiled in a bitter row
ITV/BBC
"It's bitter and pathetic. It was like Cinderella with her two sisters in the background - just stabby, stabby, stabby."
She went on to compare the duo's comments to being like a "pantomime," adding: "I just think they look so nasty and awful."
Speaking to MailOnline, she added: "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."
Amanda was absent from Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
Osbourne couldn’t help but kick back at the remarks in a very public manner as she penned a lengthy statement to Holden, sharing the brutal scolding on an X post.
She wrote: “Amanda. I am responding to your interview with the Daily Mail on April 12th.
“I respect the fact that you feel the need to defend your good friend and employer, Simon Cowell, who is also your husband’s employer, or so I’ve read.
“However, a couple of your statements regarding myself are factually incorrect.” She went on to detail her lengthy television career, fuming: “You’ll never be in my league, and you’ve picked on the wrong ugly stepsister.”
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Cowell and Holden have been friends since they started working on Britain's Got Talent together
Getty
Following the dramatic twist in the feud, fans also spotted Holden hadn’t appeared on the final episode of Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.
Speaking to The Mirror, a spokesperson for ITV commented: “Amanda was listed in credits along with every other celebrity involved in the Revenge GOOME (in studio or not).
"Amanda wasn't meant to be here tonight, nor was Holly, Gino, Richard and Olly - all had prior engagements.”
A representative for the radio host told the publication the reference to Holden was an error in production as she was spending time with her family.