Reuters

Simon Cowell

Never one to mince his words, Simon Cowell took a swipe at Alesha Dixon during Britain’s Got Talent auditions, asking his fellow judge “Who are you anyway?”

The remark drew gasps and then boos from the watching audience, and Dixon reportedly “laid into” Cowell behind the scenes.

Cowell’s catty comment was surprising considering that he lured the former Mis-Teeq singer from her judging role on Strictly Come Dancing with a hefty pay packet.

According to the Daily Mail, the spat started when a dance group called Lil’ Diamondz took the stage for their audition. The group had previously won another dance/talent search called Alesha’s Street Dance Stars, hosted by Dixon.

After their performance, the 33-year-old Dixon told the crew that “they hadn’t let her down”, to which Cowell responded: “What a silly comment to make. That’s a silly thing to say, Alesha”.

He then added: “Sorry, who are you, anyway?”

A source close to Dixon explained that the star was “embarrassed” by the incident.

“Alesha obviously felt slighted. Everybody could tell because she clammed up and looked really embarrassed. 'Simon was reclining in his usual manner and didn’t seem bothered that he had just caused so much upset.

“Alesha was determined not to cause a scene in front of the audience but she really let rip behind closed doors.

“It was humiliating for Alesha that Simon suggested she is a nobody. “This is especially the case when only a few months ago she was happily on another judging panel and Simon made it clear he wanted to poach her.

“She told her friends that she felt his dig had been ‘out of order’ and stormed off to her dressing room.

“She is not another Kelly Brook in this situation and knows that what she says on the panel is valid.”

Brook was sensationally axed as a judge after just a week on the show in 2009.

A source close to Cowell, however, dismissed the incident as “harmless banter”.

“He never intended to slight Alesha – it was all harmless banter. He always bickers with his fellow judges. It’s light-hearted fun which is just part of the show.”

Lil Diamondz, incidently, made it through to the next round.

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