Simon Cowell, in full Simon Phillip Cowell was born on October 7, 1959, in Brighton, East Sussex, England. His scathing criticism of contestants on shows like American Idol, X Factor, and Britain’s Got Talent made him a well-known English entrepreneur, recording executive, television producer, and celebrity. The X Factor’s “tough judge” is how Simon is best known.
After dropping out of school at the age of 16, Cowell was employed to work in the mail office at EMI Music Publishing. In 1979, he was given the opportunity to find singers to perform recently published compositions. He founded Fanfare Records with a partner in 1985, and the label saw modest success before going out of business in 1989. Cowell was employed by BMG Records as an artist and repertoire consultant later that year. The success of the artists he signed to BMG made him a more significant force in popular music.
Cowell and British music and television producer Simon Fuller advanced the concept of the show by letting viewers vote the winners in the final rounds of a new show, Pop Idol, after observing the success of the British television series Popstars, a reality show based on competing for musical performances. The show was brought to the United States by the Fox Broadcasting Company, where it debuted as American Idol in 2002. Simon Cowell served as a judge. It gained popularity quickly and rose to the top of American television ratings. Its success was aided in part by Cowell’s sarcastic jabs at the candidates and occasionally at the other judges.
The X Factor, a talent show coproduced by Simon Cowell’s Syco Productions and judged by Cowell, debuted on British television in 2004. It was recognised by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts with the prize for best entertainment show two years later. Also in 2006, he was named executive producer of three brand-new American shows: American Inventor, America’s Got Talent, and Celebrity Duets, a short-lived singing competition between pairs of professional singers and celebrities.
I Don’t Mean to Be Rude, but…, Simon Cowell’s autobiography, was released in 2003. Throughout his career Simon has faced massive criticism and flak for his rude comments and harsh statements on shows. In an interview he stated that, he is just brutally honest and likes to give constructive criticism.
Simon enjoyed a fortunate upbringing in the Hertfordshire suburbs’ green neighbourhoods. Simon grew up next to several prominent neighbours from the film industry in Elstree, which was also known for its film and television studio. Simon attended a Dover boarding school for his academic career, which he hated and actively rebelled against. In an effort to make his parents feel bad for putting him there, he even sent them a letter. When he was sixteen, he quit school as soon as he could after once being suspended.
Simon is open about his passion for cars, and he now has a number of them, including a Bentley convertible, a Bronco Jeep, a Ferrari California, a Jaguar Speedster, and a Rolls Royce Phantom. Simon typically spends the Christmas and New Year’s holidays in Barbados, he stated in an interview that one thing he spends the most on after cars is luxury travel. He prefers the Mediterranean for his summer vacation, frequently cruising on Slipstreahis private yacht through Italy and the South of France.
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