Simon Cowell
- Profession: Music mogul
- Place/Date of Birth: Brighton, 07 October 2020
"I don’t believe the Bob Dylans of this world would make American Idol a better show."
The sharp-tongued TV personality added: "Do I prefer Kelly Clarkson’s music to Bob Dylan’s?
"Yes. I’ve never bought a Dylan record.
"A singing poet? It just bores me to tears."
The next series of American Idol hits our TV screens later this month.
Simon unveils search for new stars - Dec 20 2006
Simon Cowell unveiled his latest TV project today - a talent search to find two stars for the West End musical Grease.
The ITV1 show will follow a format similar to the BBC hit How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?
It will pluck two unknowns from obscurity to fill the lead roles of Sandy and Danny, played in the 1978 film by Olivia Newton John and John Travolta, for a new stage production opening next summer.
BBC bosses had hoped to land the show - BBC Worldwide is already co-producing a
But the X Factor judge snatched the British series from under their noses by striking a deal with the creators of the Grease musical.
And he couldn’t resist a joke at Auntie’s expense.
"As with anything you want to buy, you have got to pay a lot of money. These things don’t come cheap and rightly so.
"I think it’s good the BBC haven’t got it so it isn’t coming out of licence fee payers’ pockets. I think we have done a great service," he quipped.
And Simon, who is said to have signed a £20 million deal with ITV last week, insisted he had beaten the Beeb fair and square.
"We’ve been thinking about making this show for years. Luckily we are the ones who got it.
"We didn’t steal it from them because they didn’t have it in the first place.
Simon plans
It seems Simon Cowell is not content with his £60million bank balance - he now wants to crack the
The 47-year-old music mogul has just signed X Factor winner Leona Lewis but will not be taking a well-earned break over the festive period - he plans to fly to LA to have meetings about a new film.
He said: "We just have to get the script right. Then in a year or so we’ll go into production."
Apparently the movie is based on a fictional reality show about two singers trying to make it to the top - and Simon may even take a starring role.
A mole told the Daily Star: "These plans are not for small projects and Simon is planning on going big budget and taking on the
"Thanks to American Idol, he is a massive star in the States as well as here so if he is behind a good movie there’s a great chance it could be a hit.
"He’s already cracked the music market, so why not movies too?"
Simon and Louis in ’gay insults’ row - Nov 6 2006
Simon Cowell has branded Louis Walsh "petty and vindictive" after gay insults apparently erupted in a blazing row between the X Factor judges.
Their feud boiled over just after the show aired on Saturday and bodyguards had to prize the pair apart, according to the Daily Mirror.
Simon later stormed off the set - snubbing spin-off show The Xtra Factor.
The row began during the "camp" Abba-themed show, when Simon sniped that Louis had "a massive unfair advantage".
Helena Bonham Carter
Hugh Laurie
Rachel Weisz
Faces in Fashion
Ricci Stoene
Sadie Frost
Musicians
DJ Jon Carter
Graham Coxon
Ms Dynamite
Writers & Artists
Amanda Craig
Features
Celeb Rehab
Keeping up with the WAGs...
Profiles: Film
Angelina Jolie
Keira Knightley
Tom Cruise
Profiles: Music
Britney Spears
Kylie Minogue
Madonna
Profiles: Fashion
Kate Moss
Naomi Campbell
Victoria Beckham
Win a flight to New York
Win a flight to New York
Win a return flight to New York and get paid for your opinions!
| Book local Hotels |  |
under £40 | |
from £40 to £60 | |
from £60 to £80 | |
from £80 to £100 | |
over £100 |
Starting in 1979 with EMI Music Publishing, Cowell (42) got a taste for what the public wanted and it wasn’t long before he decided to take these qualities and put them to use for himself, setting up his own label, Fanfare, along with partner Iain Burton.
By 1989 BMG had offered Simon a position as A&R Consultant. It was a relationship which would prove to be hugely successful, profitable and enduring. Cowell has set-up his own label through BMG, S Records, reflecting the success and vision he has manifested.
Simon’s roster of signing reads like a who’s who of pop success stories over the last decade. Highlights include, Curiosity Killed The Cat, Sonia, and cornering the boy band market, bad boys of pop Five (who disbanded last year) and the global multi-platinum phenomenon, Westlife.
Always pop but never predictable, Simon has enjoyed some of his most successful signings by always keeping an eye firmly on the TV world, sensing a public following and always being the first knocking on the door. The Power Rangers, World Wrestling Federation, Zig & Zag and the Xmas Number 1 smash Teletubbies moved from the small box to the airwaves due to Simon, although, he claims his biggest shock success would come in the form of Robson & Jerome.
Making records and breaking them, in the last 10 years, Cowell has achieved sales of over 25 million albums, over 70 top 30 records and 17 number 1 singles.
Simon is currently a judge on the US version of Pop Idols and is busy looking after Will, Gareth and Sarah Watemore, who he signed to BMG after the show.
December 2007