Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell, nicknamed Mr Nasty because of his savage criticisms on American Idol and The X Factor, has worked in the music industry for around three decades. His mentor was Pete Waterman.
In 1989 Simon Cowell joined BMG as an A&R consultant, and he thrived in his role. Cowell had an eye for spotting new talent and new trends. His many hit artists include boy bands like Westlife and television acts that moved into music like Robson and Jerome.
Simon Cowell came to the attention of a wider public when he appeared as a judge on Pop Idol.
Cowell has developed a 'Mr Nasty' persona and his reputation is such that hardly a week goes by without a pundit using the phrase 'the new Simon Cowell' as an adjectival phrase.
In October 2003, Britney Spears said that she liked Pop Idol but with regard to Simon Cowell: "I would take his advice and whatever he said and tell him to shove it."
Cowell has often had rows with his fellow judges on the TV shows in which he appears. For example, with Paula Abdul on American Idol and with Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh on The X Factor.
When the X Factor won the Best Comedy Entertainment programme category at the British Comedy Awards 2005, Simon Cowell said: "We're not a comedy programme, we're a serious factual drama."
Simon Cowell has written an autobiography, I don't mean to be rude, but...
Cowell, who used to go out with Sinitta, goes out with model Terri Seymour and has homes in Holland Park (London), Beverley Hills and Malaga.
In November 2005, Simon Cowell and Simon Fuller came to an out-of-court agreement, after Fuller, the man behind the Spice Girls, had claimed The X Factor copied his Pop Idol format.
In 2007, Simon Cowell launched the ITV show Grease Is The Word.
In 2007, Simon Cowell shot up the Sunday Times Rich List, with an estimated increase in wealth of £40m over the previous year to lead to a total of £100m.