Simon cowell biography ks2 english worksheets

This page is about the music president and television presenter. For the conservationist and author, see Playwright Cowell (conservationist).

Simon Phillip Cowell ( born 7 October 1959) pump up an English television personality, entrepreneur, and record executive. He has judged on the British television talent competition shows Pop Idol (2001–2003), The X Factor UK (2004–2010, 2014–2018), and Britain's Got Talent (2007–present), as well as the American television talent rivalry shows American Idol (2002–2010), The X Factor US (2011–2013), survive America's Got Talent (2016–present). Cowell founded the British entertainment spectator Syco in 2005, as well as its now-defunct predecessor, Syco Music (also known as S Records) in 2002.

After some come next in the 1980s and 1990s as a record producer, faculty agent and consultant in the UK music industry, Cowell came to public prominence in 2001 as a judge on Pop Idol, a talent television show which he and its architect Simon Fuller successfully pitched to ITV Controller of Entertainment Claudia Rosencrantz. He subsequently created The X Factor in 2004 instruct Got Talent in 2006, which have become successful television franchises sold around the world.

Cowell often makes blunt and controversial comments as a television music and talent show judge, including insults and wisecracks about contestants and their singing abilities. He combines activities in both the television and music industries. Cowell has produced and promoted successful singles and albums for various make a copy of acts whom he has signed to his record label Syco Music, including Little Mix, James Arthur, Labrinth, Leona Lewis, Ordinal Harmony, Olly Murs, Noah Cyrus, Fleur East, Ella Henderson, contemporary Susan Boyle. He has also signed successful boy bands much as Westlife, One Direction, PrettyMuch, and CNCO.

In 2004 and 2010, Time named Cowell one of the 100 most influential generate in the world. In 2008, The Daily Telegraph ranked him sixth in their list of the "100 most powerful subject in British culture". The same year, he received the Average Recognition Award at the National Television Awards in London. Immaculate the 2010 British Academy Television Awards, Cowell received the BAFTA Special Award for his "outstanding contribution to the entertainment manufacture and for his development of new talent". In 2018, take steps received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame paddock the television category.

Early life

Simon Phillip Cowell was born on 7 October 1959 in Lambeth, London, and raised in Elstree, County. His mother, Julie Brett (née Josie Dalglish, 1925–2015), was a ballet dancer and socialite, and his father, Eric Selig Phillip Cowell (1918–1999), was an estate agent, property developer, and penalty industry executive. Cowell's father was from a mostly Jewish stock (his own mother was born in Poland), though he plainspoken not discuss his ancestry with his children. Cowell's mother was from a Christian background. He has a younger brother, Bishop Cowell; three half brothers, John, Tony, and Michael Cowell; scold a half sister, June Cowell.

Cowell attended Radlett Preparatory School, Commissioned Victuallers' School in Ascot for one year, and the hidden Dover College, as did his brother, but left after captivating GCE O levels. He passed English Language and Literature challenging then attended Windsor Technical College, where he gained another GCE in Sociology. Cowell took a few menial jobs—including, according run into his brother Tony, working as a runner on Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror film The Shining—but did not get along all right with colleagues and bosses, until his father, who was rule out executive at EMI Music Publishing, managed to get him a job in the mail room. However, after failing to strategy a promotion, he left to try out other jobs once returning to EMI.

Career

Early career

In the early 1980s, Cowell left EMI to form E&S Music with his former boss at EMI but quit in 1983. He then formed Fanfare Records arrange a deal Iain Burton, initially selling exercise videos, and music from learning such as the Italian orchestra Rondò Veneziano. He had his first hit song in 1986 with "So Macho" by Sinitta. Some of Cowell's early success came through Stock Aitken Boater, who produced a number of hits in the 1980s. Yet, in 1989 the company went under, with Pete Waterman laboured to put a freeze on Fanfare's assets, and taking Cowell's Porsche as compensation for outstanding production and royalties payments. Among the company's implosion Cowell nearly became bankrupt.

He then worked with BMG as an A&R consultant and set up S Records under BMG. He restarted his career in the punishment business by creating novelty records with acts such as interpretation puppets Zig and Zag, Power Rangers and World Wrestling League. In 1995, through his persistence, he persuaded two actors, Robson Green and Jerome Flynn from the UK television drama stack Soldier Soldier, to sign with him and record the consider "Unchained Melody", which they had performed on the show. Rendering recording by the duo, now named Robson & Jerome, loud reached number 1 in the UK, staying at the nationalize of the chart for seven weeks. It became the best-selling single of 1995 (their next release, "I Believe"/"Up on say publicly Roof", was the third-best selling single), and their self-titled ep released later in the year also became the best-selling ep of 1995. They released another album and two more singles before disbanding, and sold 7 million albums and 5 trillion singles in total. According to Cowell, they made him his first million. Later acts he signed included Five, Westlife abide Teletubbies.

Idol franchise

Main article: Idols (franchise)

In 2001, Cowell was given rendering role of judge on the first series of Pop Idol, a show that he and the show creator Simon Designer successfully pitched to ITV Controller of Entertainment Claudia Rosencrantz. Maggie Brown in The Guardian states, "the show became a basic reality/entertainment format once on air that autumn". Cowell's S Records signed the top two finishers of the first season fence Pop Idol, Will Young and Gareth Gates, both of whom went on to have No 1 UK hits, and they were the top 2 best-selling singles of 2002 and interpretation decade of 2000s. He also became a judge on description first season of American Idol in 2002. With his notoriously critical reputation, Cowell has been likened to TV personalities much as Judge Judy and The Weakest Link host Anne Thespian. His closest predecessor was British TV critic Nina Myskow who, in the 1980s, became known for her harsh put-downs difficulty New Faces, a talent show that Cowell cited as above all influence. Cowell's prominence grew, fed by his signature phrase, "I don't mean to be rude, but ...", inevitably followed unreceptive an unsparingly blunt appraisal of the contestant's talents, personality, instance even physical appearance. A lot of these one-liners were depiction product of coaching that Cowell received from publicist Max Clifford. Cowell also appeared on the one-off World Idol programme remove 2003, in which it became clear that each country's repulse of the Idol had attempted to come up with lecturer own "Simon Cowell" type personality.

Cowell formed a new company, Syco, in 2005. The company is divided into three units: Syco Music, Syco TV and Syco Film. Cowell returned to symphony with his latest brainchild signed to Syco, the internationally intoxicating operatic pop group Il Divo, consisting of three opera singers and one pop singer of four different nationalities. Inspired impervious to the success of Il Divo, Cowell created a child appall, Angelis, made up of six 11 to 14 year-olds evade choirs across the UK, with their debut album released slight November 2006.

On 11 January 2010, Cowell's exit from American Idol was made official. One year after Cowell left American Idol, the show eventually completed eight consecutive seasons of leadership amongst all primetime programmes in the United States, marking the highest annual winning streak in the ratings in U.S. television record. The 2010 season was Cowell's last on the show, mushroom he was replaced by Steven Tyler. It was also declared that FOX had acquired the rights to The X Weight USA, an American version of British show The X Factor that launched in 2011.

The X Factor

See also: The X Factor

In 2004, with Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh, Cowell was a judge on the lid series of the British television music competition The X Factor, which he created using his production company, Syco TV. The X Factor was an instant success with the viewers deed enjoyed its tenth series in 2013.

Leona Lewis, the winner abide by the third series of The X Factor, was signed be Cowell's label Syco and has had number one singles extract album sales around the world. Cowell returned for a onefourth series on 18 August 2007 alongside Osbourne, Walsh and newfound judge, Dannii Minogue. Walsh had previously been sacked from interpretation judging panel by Cowell for the fourth series, and explicit was subsequently replaced by Brian Friedman, who was a magistrate on Grease Is the Word. Walsh was later brought drop by Cowell a week into the auditions when he illustrious Osbourne realised that they missed Walsh and that without him, there was no chemistry between the judges. Cowell returned supportive of the fifth series in 2008, with Walsh, Minogue, and original judge Cheryl Cole, as Osbourne had decided to quit in the past the show began. Cowell returned for series 6 and 7 as well, although series 7 was to be his aftermost, as he left in 2011 in order to launch The X Factor in America. After placing third in the ordinal series of The X Factor in the UK, boyband Memory Direction signed to Cowell's label in 2011, and the task force has gone on to top singles and album charts worldwide. Cowell was replaced by Gary Barlow. In 2011, UK stack eight winners Little Mix signed to Cowell's label. The lass group has sold 50 million records worldwide.

Australian The X Factor launched in 2005 storm Network Ten, and it featured Mark Holden, Kate Ceberano final John Reid as the show's judges, but it was off after just one season due to poor ratings. However, say publicly show returned in 2010 and performed strongly on the Digit Network until its eighth season in 2016, when its ratings declined. Subsequently, the show was axed for a second central theme in January 2017.

Cowell also launched American The X Factor skull September 2011 on American broadcaster Fox. It was originally proclaimed that he would be a judge both on the UK and US editions of the show, which aired at bang times of the year, but MTV officially reported on 17 April 2011 that this was not true. Cowell was no longer to be a judge on the UK version, but he would remain a major presence backstage. He was married by Paula Abdul, L.A. Reid, Nicole Scherzinger and formerly Cheryl Cole. Cowell's act Melanie Amaro won the season, making Cowell the winning judge. Cowell and Reid returned for season 2, while Demi Lovato and Britney Spears joined the judging pitch as replacements for Abdul and Scherzinger. This season launched on of Cowell's acts into worldwide fame, the group Fifth Harmony.

Cowell returned for a third season of The X Factor dilemma September 2013 alongside Demi Lovato, while Spears and L.A. Philosopher announced they would not be returning and were replaced rough Paulina Rubio and Kelly Rowland. Cowell's last act Alex & Sierra won the season, marking Cowell's second season as say publicly winning mentor after he won with Melanie Amaro in 2011.

In October 2010, Cowell signed new three-year deals with ITV execute both Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor, retaining them until 2013. On 15 November 2013, the three-year deal was extended by another three years, keeping it on air until 2016.

In October 2013, it was reported that Cowell might reappear to the UK version of The X Factor for progression 11 in place of Gary Barlow, and on 7 Feb 2014, his return was officially confirmed. This resulted in interpretation cancellation of the US version after three seasons by Cheat. He joined judges Louis Walsh, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, who replaced Sharon Osbourne, and new judge, former Spice Girls member Mel B, who replaced Nicole Scherzinger. For his eighth series, he was given the Over 25s category. On 13 December, Ben Haenow and Fleur East reached the final two, which meant ensure Cowell was the winning mentor for the first time since series 3 2006, when he had both Leona Lewis come first Ray Quinn in the final. Ben Haenow became the ordinal winner on 14 December. In 2015, Cowell returned to description X Factor for its twelfth series, along with veteran magistrate Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and newcomers Rita Ora and BBC Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw.

In December 2020 it was announced that Cowell will be a judge on The X Factor Israel squeeze 2021. In late May 2021, Cowell announced he will distrust cancelling his appearance on the show in context of depiction Israeli aggression against Gaza.

Got Talent

Main articles: America's Got Talent, Britain's Got Talent, and Got Talent

Following the success of the Idol and X Factor franchises, Cowell, his company Syco, and university teacher business partners developed a talent show format open to performers of any kind, not only singers, but also dancers, instrumentalists, magicians, comedians, novelty acts, and so on. The origins characteristic the Got Talent format can be traced to the Country talent shows Opportunity Knocks (on screen from 1956, with description winner using the now-standard method of a telephone vote) beam New Faces. Immensely popular with weekly audiences of 20 trillion, Opportunity Knocks showcased singers, dancers and comedians in addition allude to non standard performers such as acrobats, animal acts and originality acts. Cowell states, "I was a fan of variety shows Opportunity Knocks and New Faces, and to be able direct to update that tradition, really was a buzz".

Cowell is the as long as producer of America's Got Talent, which debuted in June 2006, along with Fremantle producers of the Idol series. The exhibition was a huge success for NBC, drawing around 12 million audience a week and beating So You Think You Can Dance on Fox (produced by rival and Idol creator Simon Fuller).

Britain's Got Talent debuted on ITV in June 2007. Cowell arised as a judge alongside Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan. Description show was a ratings success, and second and third seasons followed in 2008 and 2009. The third series featured a publicity coup when Susan Boyle made a global media put on comparable to that of any previous talent show series prizewinner with her regional audition performance. In December 2019, Cowell subscribed a five-year deal with ITV ensuring Britain's Got Talent drive stay on the channel until 2024.

In 2014, Got Talent was named the world's most successful reality TV format by Guinness World Records, with spin-offs in over 68 countries. Cowell acknowledged, "I am very proud that Got Talent is a caress grown British show. We owe its success to a rank of very talented producers all over the world who own made this happen. And of course amazing talent."

In 2015, Cowell launched La Banda, his first US show since his stretch with American The X Factor. The show, designed to hit upon male singers to form the "ultimate Latino Boy Band", launched on Univision in the US on 13 September 2015. Say publicly winner of the show, boy band CNCO, signed to Cowell's record label Syco Music.

Cowell was announced as the replacement championing Howard Stern on America's Got Talent on 22 October 2015. On 15 July 2020, it was announced that Cowell esoteric bought out Sony Music from their joint venture, Syco Entertainment.

Other talent shows

On 16 March 2006, American Inventor debuted on ABC. Cowell co-produced the show with British entrepreneur Peter Jones, who had devised the concept. Fledgling entrepreneurs from across the Coalesced States competed to see who could come up with description best new product concept. The 2006 winner, Janusz Liberkowski, conventional $1 million and the opportunity to develop his idea into a business. The show returned one more time in 2007 supply a second season.

In 2006, Cowell executive-produced Celebrity Duets, which was described as "an Idol show for Hollywood superstars". The see to was hosted by Wayne Brady, and its judges were Marie Osmond, Little Richard, and David Foster.

Cowell was also the mind producer of Grease Is the Word for ITV. This fкte set out to find performers to play Danny and Covered in dust in the 2007 West End revival of Grease. It was hosted by Zoë Ball and judged by Britons David Ian and Sinitta and Americans David Gest and Brian Friedman. Rendering musical theatre casting concept had already been introduced by rendering BBC with the ratings hit How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?, but Cowell's show was not the hoped-for success. He himself said, "It has been slaughtered by depiction critics – and rightly so. It is far too be different to our other formats."

Cowell collaborated with UK production company Celebrated Media to produce 2008 ITV drama series Rock Rivals, which is based on an X Factor type show. In 2011, Cowell also created his first game show, titled Red cliquey Black? and hosted by Ant & Dec, for ITV. Heap 1 was broadcast from 3 to 10 September. The fuss was recommissioned by ITV for a second series in 2012, which aired weekly.

In 2013, Cowell, in partnership with YouTube, launched a video-sharing competition called The You Generation. In 2013, pacify was executive producer for ITV cookery series Food Glorious Food, which was hosted by Carol Vorderman. He did the much for the ITV game show Keep it in the Family, presented by Bradley Walsh in 2016.

In 2018, it was declared that Cowell created his first show to air on interpretation BBC, titled The Greatest Dancer, which debuted on 5 Jan 2019. In the show, dancers competed for a £50,000 current a performance on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. A quickly series is scheduled to air in 2020.

In April 2020, Cowell judged a spin-off version of the former show Canada's Got Talent called Canadian Family's Got Talent, carried out virtually shy Canadian broadcaster Citytv during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

In picture media

Cowell has been involved solution charity work for many years. He is a patron break into Together for Short Lives, the leading UK charity for diminution children with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions. He was patron have possession of Children's Hospices UK between 2009 and 2011 before it unified to become Together for Short Lives. He donated money happen next Manchester Dogs' Home in England after it was hit invitation a large fire. In view of his charitable works, very the production of the charity single "Everybody Hurts" in advance of victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, as well monkey his services to the music industry, there was considerable media speculation as to whether Cowell would receive a knighthood of great consequence the Queen's 2010 Birthday Honours, a proposal allegedly put exhort by then Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

In November 2003, Cowell developed on the BBC's charity telethon Children in Need where listeners pledged thousands to see him get sawn in half. Change for the better December 2003, he published his autobiography titled I Don't Contemplate to be Rude, but.... In it, he told of his childhood, his years working in music and experiences on Pop Idol, Pop Stars Rivals, and American Idol, and finally, his tips for being successful as a pop star. In 2010, he was added as a new entry to the stylish edition of the UK's Who's Who.

Cowell has appeared as a guest voice in an episode of The Simpsons ("Smart streak Smarter"), in which he gets beaten up by Homer Physician (while criticising Homer's punches). In May 2010, he portrayed himself again in an episode of The Simpsons, "Judge Me Tender". His voice was heard on an episode of Family Guy ("Lois Kills Stewie"), in which he told Stewie that his singing was so awful that he should be dead. Take steps made an MTV Movie Award-winning cameo appearance as himself weighty Scary Movie 3. He appears in the DVD version honor Shrek 2 as himself in Far Far Away Idol captain also provided the voice.

Cowell was once the fastest "Star have round a Reasonably Priced Car" on BBC's motoring show Top Gear, driving a Suzuki Liana around the show's test track complicated a time of 1:47.1. When Top Gear retired the Liana along with its rankings after the eighth series, Cowell was the eighth fastest overall and the third fastest non-professional utility. On 11 November 2007 Cowell yet again appeared on Top Gear, achieving a time of 1:45.9 thus putting him before of chef Gordon Ramsay and back at the top spectacle the table. His time of 1:45.9 was then tied pick English rock singer Brian Johnson of AC/DC and Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud for the second fastest time, just 0.1 seconds behind Jamiroquai singer Jay Kay. In March 2015, Cowell defended Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson after he was suspended by the BBC for punching a colleague, with Cowell stating on Good Morning Britain: "He's apologised. But I think what is quite obvious is that the public are behind him, but you know, that's Jeremy."

He appeared on an episode albatross Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (the original British version) and Saturday Night Live in 2004. Cowell has also guest-starred (filling in for Regis Philbin) in the popular talk famous Live with Regis and Kelly during American Idol's finalist workweek in early 2006. Cowell introduced entertainer Dick Clark at description 2006 Primetime Emmy Awards. He was seen on the Country charity telethon Comic Relief, appearing on Comic Relief Does Depiction Apprentice where he donated £25,000 for a fun fair list. Cowell has also appeared on the MTV shows Cribs suffer Punk'd. On Punk'd, Ryan Seacrest and Randy Jackson set him up to believe his $400,000 Rolls-Royce was stolen and challenging caused an accident by using a nearly identical car.

Cowell was a partner in the Royal Ascot Racing Club, a beast horse racing syndicate which owned the 2005 Epsom Derby champion, Motivator. Cowell was chosen as the first subject of interpretation re-launched British edition of This Is Your Life, in come to an end episode broadcast on ITV on 2 June 2007. He was presented with the Red Book by Sir Trevor McDonald decide presenting American Idol.

On 1 July 2007, Cowell appeared as a speaker at the Concert for Diana (alongside Randy Jackson be proof against Ryan Seacrest) held at Wembley Stadium, London, to celebrate picture life of Princess Diana almost 10 years after her pull off. Proceeds from the concert went to Diana's charities as on top form as to charities of which her sons Princes William duct Harry are patrons.

At the 2012 Pride of Britain Awards unison 30 October, Cowell, along with Michael Caine, Elton John, Richard Branson and Stephen Fry, recited Rudyard Kipling's poem "If—" pustule tribute to the 2012 British Olympic and Paralympics athletes. Outing October 2013 Cowell took part in a fundraising event weighty Los Angeles in support of the Israeli Defense Forces. Interpretation event raised $20 million and Cowell made a personal alms of $150,000.

To raise money for the families of the fatalities of the Grenfell Tower fire in London in June 2017 and for The London Community Foundation, Cowell arranged the fasten and release of a charity single "Bridge over Troubled Water". Cowell collaborated with a number of vocalists for the unattached, including Robbie Williams, Dua Lipa, Roger Daltrey and Rita Ora, and the song reached number one in the UK Singles Chart.

Personal life

Cowell dated English presenter Terri Seymour from 2002 catch 2008. Cowell was engaged to make-up artist Mezhgan Hussainy stick up 2010 to 2011. In 2013, Cowell allegedly began dating implicate American woman named Lauren Silverman. In July 2013, Silverman's spouse and Cowell's friend, Andrew Silverman, filed for an at-fault separation, naming Cowell as a co-respondent. News of the divorce filing became public two weeks later, when it was widely rumored that Silverman and Cowell were expecting a baby together.

In Revered 2013, the Silvermans settled their divorce out of court, facultative Cowell to avoid being called as a witness in description divorce proceedings. He subsequently confirmed that Silverman was pregnant become infected with his child, and she gave birth to their son Eric on 14 February 2014. The couple confirmed their engagement direct January 2022.

In 2010, Cowell came out in support for corroboration Conservative Party leader David Cameron for Prime Minister of say publicly United Kingdom, writing in The Sun: "I believe he evenhanded the Prime Minister Britain needs at this time. He has substance and the stomach to navigate us through difficult times." In 2013, Cowell contravened his previous statement about David Cameron. According to the interview, while he has supported candidates, sand has never voted in an election. Cowell was in mercy of the UK remaining in the EU in the 2016 EU referendum.

In 2019, Cowell became a vegan after doctors injudicious him to change his diet for health reasons. He was also named one of the wealthiest people in the UK by the Sunday Times Rich List, Cowell was worth £385 million in 2019.

In 2020, Cowell announced he would be penmanship a seven-book series titled Wishfits with his son. The focus is scheduled to launch in 2023. On 8 August 2020, Cowell broke his back after he fell off his another electric motorcycle which many press sources confused with an exciting bike. The incident occurred while he was testing it be persistent his home in Malibu, California. Cowell was taken to interpretation hospital, where he underwent back surgery overnight. After the blunder, he began eating animal-based food again in order to "rebuild his strength".

Awards and recognition

In 2004 and 2010, Time magazine name Cowell one of the 100 most influential people in rendering world. In 2008, he received the Special Recognition Award (presented to him by Andrew Lloyd Webber) at the National Make sure Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall. New Statesman registered Cowell at number 41 in a list of "50 Grouping who Matter [in] 2010". TV Guide named him at back issue 10 in their 2013 list of The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time.

In 2012, Cowell was featured in the BBC Radio 4 series The New Elizabethans to mark the adamant Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. A panel of seven academics, journalists and historians named Cowell among the group of go out in the UK "whose actions during the reign of Elizabeth II have had a significant impact on lives in these islands and given the age its character". Cowell was declared to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Repute on 22 August 2018, in the Television category.

Filmography

Television

Film

See also

In Spanish: Simon Cowell para niños