Simon Cowell is a record company executive, a television and film producer, and a global entertainment icon. Renowned for his eye for talent and candid opinions, Simon has completely transformed popular culture through his showbusiness enterprise.
Simon Phillip Cowell is one of the most prolific British music executives and TV producers, best known for his overtly critical judging role on hit TV talent shows such as The X Factor, Pop Idol, American Idol and Britain’s Got Talent.
He was born October 7th 1959 in Brighton and grew up in Hertfordshire with his mum Julie Brett and EMI record executive dad Eric Cowell.
He has three half-brothers, John Cowell, Michael Cowell and Tony Cowell, a half-sister, former child actress June Cowell, a biological sister, Lindsay Elizabeth Cowell and a younger brother, Nicholas Cowell.
Simon says that the first time he gave a criticism was at age four when he looked at his mother’s white fuzzy pillbox hat and remarked “Mum, you look like a poodle”
After school, Simon worked several menial jobs in TV, including being a runner for Stanley Kubrick’s classic The Shining, before his dad Eric arranged him a job at EMI in the mail room.
Simon was eventually given the chance, in 1979, to discover performers to sing newly published songs.
In 1985 he and a partner, Iain Burton formed Fanfare Records, which enjoyed some success before folding in 1989.
Later that year BMG Records hired Cowell as an artist and repertoire consultant. The success of the acts that he signed for BMG established him as an increasingly powerful influence in popular music.
He was responsible for signing bands such as 5ive, Westlife, and Ultimate Kaos.
Having witnessed the popularity of the British television series Popstars (2000), a reality show built around competing musical acts, Cowell and British music and television producer Simon Fuller developed the show’s format a step farther by allowing viewers to choose the winners in the final rounds of a new show, Pop Idol (2001–03).
The Fox Broadcasting Company imported the show, along with Cowell as judge, to the United States, where it premiered in 2002 as American Idol.
An immediate hit, it became the highest-rated American television show. Its popularity was partly due to Cowell’s acerbic put-downs of contestants and, on occasion, of his fellow judges, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson.
In 2004, Syco Entertainment was formed as part of Cowell’s new Sony Music partnership.
Syco Entertainment is one of the world’s leading global music, film, and TV production companies and is responsible for some of the most successful global music and TV franchises.
Artists signed to Syco Music have included One Direction, Camila Cabello, Little Mix, Louis Tomlinson, PRETTYMUCH, Labrinth, James Arthur, CNCO, Grace Vanderwaal, Susan Boyle and many more.
Syco’s television assets include two worldwide record-breaking shows: The X Factor and Got Talent. Both formats have launched more global super stars than any other talent show in history.
In 2006 The X Factor won the award for best entertainment program from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
That same year Simon became executive producer of three new American shows—American Inventor (2006–08), a competition that promised a million-dollar manufacturing contract for the winner; America’s Got Talent (2006– ), a show open to all types of entertainers on which he served as a judge from 2016; and Celebrity Duets (2006), a short-run singing competition between pairings of professional singers and celebrities.
Cowell also sold the format of Duets to Great Britain’s ITV. In 2007 he became executive producer of Grease Is the Word, a reality show to find the next stars for the British revival of the musical Grease. In May 2010 Cowell left American Idol in order to work on a U.S. version of The X Factor (2011–13). Following the cancellation of that show, he returned to hosting the British version.
In 2015 Simon teamed up with Univision Communication to create the television show La Banda.
The winning group, named CNCO, is the biggest Latin boyband in the world. CNCO released their first album, “Primera Cita,” which became the No1 Latin debut album for all of 2016. The album includes their 8x platinum hit ‘Reggaetón Lento’, which debuted No1 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Charts.
To date, CNCO has won seven Latin Billboard Awards, including 2018’s award for ‘Latin Pop Artist of the Year’. The group has also taken home seven Latin AMA’s, two iHeart Radio Awards, and were nominated ‘Best New Artist’ at the 2017 Latin Grammy’s. The group holds the title for the most streamed boyband on YouTube to date.
In addition to music and TV, Simon has extended into feature films. He has
produced a 3D concert documentary about One Direction entitled ‘This Is Us.’ The film was the No. 1 movie worldwide for the opening week box office. Simon also produced ‘One Chance,’ a movie chronicling the remarkable story of Britain’s Got Talent winner Paul Potts.
Syco has a number of feature films in development, including a multi project partnership with Animal Logic (Lego, Happy Feet, Great Gatsby).
Simon has also recently announced a new children’s entertainment brand titled ‘Wishfits’ alongside son Eric Cowell and publishing giant Hachette Children’s Group. The brand will launch with a seven-book commitment, with the first three picture books releasing in 2021. A portion of all the profits will benefit Shooting Star children’s Hospices and Together for Short Lives.
Simon and Eric also recently both lent their voices to the 2020 film Scoob!
Throughout his career, Simon has remained a devoted supporter of many charities and causes.
Most recently, Simon has become an ambassador for The Innocence Project, an organization committed to freeing innocent people who have been wrongly incarcerated and reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.
Simon is also a patron of Together For Short Lives, The Katie Piper Foundation and the Linda Blair Sacred Heart Foundation, as well as an Ambassador for Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Simon is also a supporter of The Association for Children’s Hospices, Against Breast Cancer, The Health Lottery, Save The Children, Comic Relief, Battersea Dogs Home, RSPCA, The K9 Angels, PETA, Hope Sanctuary Barbados, and Help For Heroes.
In May 2015, he was made Vice President of Shooting Star Chase. He has also been awarded Variety International’s Humanitarian Award for his charitable work. In 2017, Simon orchestrated the record breaking single ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ to raise funds for the victims and families affected by the Grenfell Tower fire.
In 2018, Simon was awarded the Visionary Award by the Media Access Awards, which honors those in the media business who advance the portrayal and employment of people with disabilities.
Simon has received the Rose d’Or Golden Jubilee Award and BAFTA’s Special Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the entertainment industry.
He has also been awarded the International Emmy Founders Award. In total, shows created by Simon have received 25 awards, including eight National Television Awards and seven BAFTAs.
In 2015, Simon was honored with the Music Industry Trusts Award, the British music industry’s most prestigious accolade, in recognition of his
contributions to the industry and many charitable causes.
Simon was also awarded a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018.
Simon has had a host of glamorous girlfriends since his rise to fame made him a household name.
He dated singer Sinitta in the 80s after they met through the music industry.
They have had a famous “on off” relationship for years and even now remain firm, but platonic friends!
Simon was then linked with English television host Terri Seymour from 2002 to 2008. Again, they have remained close friends since they split and frequently meet with their families.
Simon was engaged to make-up artist Mezhgan Hussainy from 2010 to 2011 after they met on American Idol.
In a “tell all” biography by Tom Bower, Simon admitted to a brief liason with fellow X Factor Judge, Dannii Minogue.
In 2013, Simon allegedly began dating an American woman named Lauren Silverman, the wife of Simon’s friend, Andrew Silverman. The Silverman’s filed for divorce and shortly after it was widely reported that Lauren and Simon were expecting a baby together. Simon subsequently confirmed that Lauren was pregnant with his child, and she gave birth to their son on Eric on February 14, 2014.
Eric has been following in his dad’s footsteps by already launching a single (Baby Shark in 2018) and writing a book called Wishfits due for release in 2021.
Simon, Lauren and Eric split their time between homes in London and Los Angeles.
They share their homes with four furry friends! Yorkshire Terrier rescues Sqiddly and Diddly joined the family in 2013. Simon took on his mum’s Yorkie, Freddy after her sad passing. Most recently, Simon and Lauren adopted Daisy, a rescue pup from Barbados.
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