- Culture
- TV & Radio
- News
Cowell was one of the judges on American Idol from 2002 through 2010
Brittany MillerMonday 01 December 2025 22:43 GMTComments
CloseRelated: Simon Cowell: The Next Act trailer
Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email
Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter
Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter
Email*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice
Simon Cowell has apologized for his behaviour as a star-making judge on American Idol and admitted he now regrets the way he treated some contestants on the hit talent show.
Throughout his time on the singing competition show, where he was one of the original three judges alongside Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, Cowell had the reputation of being the most critical and hard-to-please judge.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, published Saturday, Cowell admitted he “probably” went “too far” with his harp-tongued insults.
“I wasn’t trying to be a dick on purpose. All I wanted with these shows was to find successful artists to sign to the label,” he told the publication. “So when all these people were coming in, and they couldn’t sing, I would be like when I used to audition people, and someone would come in and they can’t sing. We would say after 10 seconds, ‘You can’t sing.’ Not, ‘You’re going to be brilliant.’”
He was then asked about how he makes the distinction between being blunt and humiliating a contestant, which Cowell explained was part of the way he changed “over time.”
open image in gallery‘All I wanted with these shows was to find successful artists to sign to the label,’ Cowell said (Getty Images)
open image in galleryCowell apologized for his behavior on the singing competition show sometimes going ‘too far’ (Getty Images)“I did realize I’ve probably gone too far,” he said. “I didn’t particularly like audition days, because they’re long and boring. I would get fed up. And of course, out of a hundred nice comments, what are they going to use? They’re always going to use me in a bad mood. I got that. What can I say? I’m sorry.”
“That was then. I’m not proud of it, let’s put it that way,” he added. “I never look at this stuff online, so when I hear about these clips, I’m like, ‘Oh, God.’ But then again, the upside is that it made the shows really popular worldwide.”
Cowell’s comments come one week before the premiere of his upcoming Netflix docuseries, Simon Cowell: The Next Act, where he attempts to look for the next boy band following his success with bands such as Little Mix and One Direction.
The series will follow Cowell through the entire process from an open casting call for band members up to the release of the group’s debut single.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
Try for freeADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
Try for freeADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
“As much as I love my job on TV, I miss where I started, signing artists and working with bands. There is a massive opportunity: I am going to find a new boy band,” he said in the trailer. “If this goes wrong, it will be Simon Cowell has lost it.”
All six episodes will be available to watch on Netflix on December 10.
More about
Simon CowellAmerican IdolJoin our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments
