Amanda Holden, 54, ‘given warning’ by BBC bosses after strict rule break in social media post
Amanda Holden has reportedly been warned by BBC bosses after breaching the broadcaster’s commercial guidelines by wearing her “Handy Mandy” boilersuit from Amanda & Alan’s Spanish Job in a promotional video for QVC.
The Britain’s Got Talent judge, 54, was reportedly instructed to remove the Instagram post on Friday, which had advertised her appearance on the shopping channel to promote her BundleBerry interior design range.
The 30-second clip, posted on February 3, showed Holden measuring walls and hanging mirrors whilst wearing the same navy boilersuit she dons in the BBC renovation series.
The presenter was “spoken to” by BBC executives for violating rules that forbid talent from appearing in advertisements that mimic their BBC roles.
In the promotional video, Holden was seen wielding a toolbox and electric drill while The A Team theme tune played in the background.
Her BBC co-star Alan Carr commented on the Instagram post, writing: “I recognise that boilersuit.”
The video was labelled as an advertisement and promoted Holden’s appearance on QVC later that day to showcase new products from her BundleBerry range, which she launched in 2017.
The clip featured Holden performing DIY tasks similar to those seen in Amanda & Alan’s Spanish Job, where she and Carr work together renovating properties.
The post remained live on her Instagram account for nearly two weeks before BBC executives intervened on Friday, requiring its removal.
The BBC’s commercial guidelines explicitly state: “Actors and artists who perform in BBC output should not appear in promotional work, including advertisements, in a way which mimics or replicates their on-air roles for the BBC.”
A BBC spokesman told GB News: “Amanda has removed her post and has been reminded of her responsibilities, as a BBC presenter, when using social media.”
The broadcaster reportedly declined to comment on whether Holden would face further sanctions for the breach when asked by Mail Online.
The guidelines set out by the BBC aim to maintain clear separation between programming and commercial endorsements by its on-screen talent.
The incident echoes a similar controversy from 2021 involving DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles, who appeared in a Shreddies cereal advertisement.
Knowles, 62, starred as a builder in the commercial wearing a hard hat and tool belt – an image closely resembling his BBC role.
The breach resulted in Knowles being dropped from a DIY SOS Children In Need special, with comedian Rhod Gilbert temporarily replacing him.
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Speaking later on This Morning about the incident, Knowles described it as “a misunderstanding” that had since been resolved.
“It was a bit odd, but then I knew it was only for the one show. It was a conflict,” he explained.