Alesha Dixon quits Strictly Come Dancing for Britain's Got Talent

Strictly Come Dancing's Alesha Dixon is leaving the show to join the judging panel of hit ITV show Britain's Got Talent, the singer announced today.

Dixon said she will be joining Simon Cowell when he returns to the talent show's judging panel this year.

The 33-year-old, who has spent three years judging dancers on Strictly, will now sit alongside Little Britain actor and comedian David Walliams and Amanda Holden, who is returning to the show for its sixth series.

A statement on her website said: "Alesha has decided not to return to Strictly Come Dancing after a successful three-series run and will instead be joining the Britain's Got Talent panel, alongside Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and David Walliams."

Dixon said: "After three incredible years on the Strictly Come Dancing judging panel I have decided that it is time to move on.

"Strictly Come Dancing will always hold a special place in my heart as it has been such an amazing experience, both as a winning competitor and as a judge.

"I would like to say a big thank you to everyone involved in the show, the production team, my fellow judges, and a very special thank you to the fans for their support."

A spokeswoman for the BBC said: "Alesha has had three very successful series and we wish her well for the future.

"The BBC gave her a fantastic opportunity and she has really grown her career and she is now off for a different challenge.

"We are now looking forward to announcing our new panel in due course."

She added that any new judging panel was unlikely to be announced until the summer.

Before becoming a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2007, Dixon was best known as a member of girl group Mis-Teeq.

But after winning the popular dance show she was known to millions of viewers and the summer of 2009 it was announced she would replace Arlene Phillips on the judging panel.

The singer received criticism and a fierce backlash as the BBC was accused of ageism by trading in the professional for Dixon - who had only won the show as a celebrity contestant two years earlier.

PA