Simon Cowell, born October 7, 1959, is a British entrepreneur, record executive, and television personality. He rose to fame in the early 2000s when he created the program Pop Idol and later became a worldwide celebrity as a judge on X Factor, American Idol, and America's Got Talent. He also earned himself a catchphrase: "I don't mean to be rude but.."
Cowell was born Oct 7, 1959, in Lambeth, London, England, to parents Julie and Eric. He had a middle-class upbringing in the suburb of Elstree outside London, and had one leg in the entertainment industry from an early age. A well-known film and television studio was located in the area, and Simon's father was on the board of directors at the famous record label EMI.
As a kid, Cowell sadly had a hard time in school. He wasn't interested in studying, and when he was at school, he said he was bullied by teachers, who called him stupid because he couldn't read or write until the age of 11. He attended Dover College but dropped out at 16. Instead, he ended up working in the mailroom at the record label EMI.
Cowell rose in ranks at EMI and later earned a position as assistant to an A&R executive in 1979. He then became a talent scout and, in the early 1980s, left to form his own label, E&S Music. He left the company by mutual agreement in 1985 and founded the independent label Fanfare Records. Sadly, due to financial problems, he had to shut it down in 1989, and moved back with his parents.
Simon Cowell continued to pursue a career in the music industry. He started over and founded S Records Label and managed to sign boybands such as Westlife. Moreover, he signed artist Jerome, who recorded the Righteous Brothers’ hit Unchained Melody in 1995, which became a top-selling single.
It was in the early 2000s he gained fame after creating the television program Pop Idol, along with Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller. The show was a smash hit, and Simon Cowell became a huge celebrity overnight.
In 2002, Fuller and Cowell aimed for America. They aired the show American Idol, a talent show for singers, which also became a huge success. Simon was one of the original judges alongside Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul.
The first season finale – which Kelly Clarkson won – attracted more than 26 million viewers, and Simon saw the huge financial potential. He released special American Idol-themed records, with Simon Fuller owning and being in charge of the show, as well as managing the winners.
Cowell made himself a fortune through the talent shows on television, as well as through his record label. According to CNN, he earned a staggering $36 million dollars in 2008 alone. Cowell continued the success into latter years, earning $45 million in 2017 and the year after $41 million.
In 2020, he made more than $50 million. As of 2024, per Celebrity Networth, he has a fortune of more than $600 million.
Cowell has been in a relationship with Lauren Silverman since 2013. In 2014, they welcomed their son, Eric Cowell.
Simon met his fiancé, Lauren Silverman, for the first time in the mid-2000s in Barbados. He was a good friend of her husband, Andrew Silverman, and the two later began an affair. When Lauren became pregnant with Simon's child in 2013, Andrew filed for divorce. Simon and Lauren shared news of their engagement in 2021.
Lauren Silverman attended the prestigious Tufts University in Massachusetts and now works as an entrepreneur.
For years, the internet has been full of rumors about Simon Cowell's son possibly being on the autism spectrum. Cowell has never responded to the rumors, and based on pictures of Eric, it seems as if he is very healthy.
Yes, Simon Cowell has admitted to doing both fillers and botox.
In 2018, Cowell told the Sun he underwent a non-surgical “sewing bioplastic-infused thread” facelift and said that his use of Botox actually “added 10 years” to his television career,
Britain’s Got Talent is back on our screens, once again searching for the nation’s most gifted performers. Hosted by Ant and Dec, this season features judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, Bruno Tonioli, guest judge KSI, ...
When two tiny dancers stepped onto the America’s Got Talent stage, little did the audience know they were about to witness a dazzling recreation of one of the most iconic dance routines of all time. ...
In 2009, a singer stepped onto the American Idol stage and redefined what it means to perform under pressure. Delivering a breathtaking rendition of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Adam Lambert didn’t just sing – he created ...
America’s Got Talent, one of the world’s most popular talent shows, recently featured a familiar face for Eurovision fans. Gabriella Laberge, a French-Canadian singer and violinist who competed in France’s Destination Eurovision in 2019, delivered ...
The shocking death of musician and former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne has devastated people around the world, and tributes have been pouring in from fans and Payne’s peers in the music industry. Today, one ...
Fans across the world are mourning the death of Liam Payne and completely stunned over the final post he shared on Instagram. Lamenting his death, fans are pouring out their grief on Payne’s “very last ...
Simon Cowell showed a soft side of himself when he tearfully spoke of the overwhelming grief he experienced after his parents died. Explaining he was “dying inside,” the sharp-tongued music mogul explains he was in ...
Every season of America’s Got Talent brings new surprises and incredible talents that seem to surpass everyone’s expectations – it just seems to get better and better! This year, one such surprise came in the ...
Living out one of his many dreams, an eight-year-old boy with a brain tumor took the stage of Britain’s Got Talent and sang ‘A Million Dreams‘ from the film The Greatest Showman, originally performed by ...
Simon Cowell is setting the record straight after rumors began to swirl he had come down with a “mystery illness.” The America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent judge recently missed filming of the latter, ...