Simon Cowell

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Judges

28 October 2008, 16:01

Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell (born Brighton, October 7, 1959)

All hail Simon Cowell; lord of the insult, the pelter, the wise crack, the one-liner; the po-faced, straight-talking hard-hitter who can create a star or a has-been at the drop of a word. Admit it, though, you like him more than you used to. The king of the talent show is slowly but surely becoming far more than the pantomime baddy. Love him or loathe him, Simon Cowell knows good pop.

As the undisputed leader of the X-pack, it’s Simon who is on-set and behind the scenes, dishing out heavy pelters to any unfortunate who strays into his path. The multi-multi millionaire is the driving force behind this spectacular show. It’s his baby and it’s his continuing presence that gives this show the credibility and sheer watchability, which makes it the best there is. We love The X Factor.

His fellow judges must fight their corner to get on an even keel, or to break through his uncaring façade. Louis gasps in miscomprehension at his insults, Danni is shocked. Cheryl still feels the pain of the contestants.

After starting off in the EMI mailroom, he worked his way through the massive hair and shiny suits of the 80s, quickly finding a head for business and the hottest acts in town. To date Simon has helped sell over 150 million records and has produced over 70 UK and US No.1s. He's a household name on both sides of the Atlantic thanks to his TV shows, The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and American Idol.

So, the kerfuffle over his trousers may have died down, and his teeth are whiter than ever. The same, we fear, cannot be said of his soul. Simon may well be in league with the devil, but damn it, he's made a good bargain.

Last updated: 16 November 2008, 13:04