Simon Cowell snaps up Alesha Dixon for Britain's Got Talent

The BBC was left reeling by Alesha's decision to join the ITV1 show's judging panel.

It was dubbed an act of revenge by Cowell after Strictly's ratings victory over the mogul's other TV show, The X Factor.

Cowell ? who was snapped with fans on a beach in Barbados yesterday ? said he wanted to "change the perception" of BGT by making it "younger and better".

The 52-year-old will return to the judging panel full time alongside Amanda Holden, 40, and new signing David Walliams.

He said: "I love Alesha. She's feisty, opinionated and knows what it's like to be a competitor and judge. She is going to bring a lot to the table.

"And I'm delighted David is joining. He thinks he can do a better job than the people there before so it will be fun. I think he's terrified!"

The last time the show had four judges ended in disaster. Cowell axed Kelly Brook after just a few days in 2009 insisting "BGT just doesn't work with four people".

His full time return follows pressure from ITV who saw The X Factor and BGT slip in the ratings without him.

He has only judged the final week of the last two series after declaring he was "bored" of sitting through the auditions.

But he said yesterday: "I miss the British public, and I miss judging them. I've worked in America all this year but now I've got itchy feet again.

"I want to find the next generation of talent. Different and new acts, younger and better talent.

"I want to change the perception of the show. I think there's a notion that all we want is older people who sing opera."

Former Mis-Teeq singer Alesha, 33, who won Strictly in 2007 before becoming a judge, said yesterday: "I'm delighted to be joining the panel on BGT. It's a fantastic show and I'm very excited."

Little Britain star David, 40, added: "I am so thrilled to be the new Cheryl Cole."

The move threw a lifeline to former Strictly judge Arlene Phillips.

Arlene, 68 ? who was replaced by Alesha three years ago amid an ageism row ? said: "I will be gathering my thoughts and I will certainly have some things to say."

Cowell also announced he will put up ?250,000 of his own cash to double the prize to ?500,000. The winner will also perform at the Royal Variety Performance.

Simon Kelner launches Journalism Foundation

Simon Kelner, the former editor of the Independent, is launching a charity today aimed at promoting journalism across the world.

Called the Journalism Foundation, its initial finance is being provided by the Independent's owners, Alexander and Evgeny Lebedev.

Kelner said: "The point of the foundation is to support fair, free and independent journalism anywhere. We regard journalism as an essential tool of an open democracy."

To illustrate the foundation's wide scope, he announced its first two projects - a partnership with City University London to create journalism courses in Tunisia and a one-man hyperlocal website in Stoke-on-Trent, designed to show how digital journalism can be built up from the grassroots by using digital media. The foundation is to provide resources to enable Mike Rawlins whose website pitsnpots holds the local council to account.

Kelner has attracted an impressive group of trustees: Lady Kennedy, Lord Fowler and Sir John Tusa, along with Evgeny Lebedev as chairman. It is expected that Carl Bernstein of Watergate fame will be joining soon.

A number of former and current editors have expressed support for the foundation. They include Alan Rusbridger of the Guardian, James Harding of the Times, the Daily Mail's Paul Dacre and the former editor of the Daily Telegraph, Max Hastings.

Hastings said: "This is a time when bad and corrupt journalism is receiving extraordinary exposure in Britain, which makes the promotion of good, brave and campaigning journalism all the more important.

"The objectives of the Journalism Foundation deserve the widest support from everybody who cares about honest communication in the 21st century."

The foundation has also received messages of support from the writer Salman Rushdie and the Lib Dem politician Lord Ashdown.

Kelner said: "Journalism, like free speech, belongs to everyone. So the projects we're interested in are those designed for the public good."

Kelner left the Independent in July after 13 years as editor. He was replaced by Chris Blackhurst.