Simon Cowell | |
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![]() Cowell in December 2011
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Born |
Simon Phillip Cowell 7 October 1959 Lambeth, London, England |
Residence | London, England Los Angeles, California, US |
Education | Dover College |
Occupation | A&R representative, reality television judge, entrepreneur, philanthropist |
Years active | 1979–present |
Employer | ITV plc, NBCUniversal |
Home town | Elstree, Hertfordshire, England |
Salary | $95,000,000 in 2013 and 2014 |
Net worth | £325 million (March 2015) |
Television |
Judging Pop Idol (2001–2003) American Idol (2002–2010) The X Factor UK (2004–2010, 2014–present) Britain's Got Talent (2007–present) The X Factor USA (2011–2013) America's Got Talent (2016–present) Producing Idol franchise The X Factor franchise Got Talent franchise The You Generation |
Partner(s) | Lauren Silverman (2013–present) |
Children | 1 |
Relatives |
Nicholas Cowell (brother) Tony Cowell (paternal half-brother) |
Simon Phillip Cowell (/ˈkaʊəl/) (born 7 October 1959) is an English reality television judge and producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is most recognised as a judge on the British TV talent competition series Pop Idol, The X Factor, and Britain's Got Talent, and the American TV talent competition shows American Idol, The X Factor, and America's Got Talent. Cowell is the principal founder and chief executive of the British entertainment company Syco.
As a judge, Cowell often makes blunt and controversial comments, 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 singles and albums for various singers that he has taken under his wing. He was most recently featured on the tenth series of Britain's Got Talent and the thirteenth series of UK's The X Factor.
In 2004 and 2010, Time named Cowell one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2008 The Daily Telegraph ranked him sixth in their list of the "100 most powerful people in British culture".
Simon Phillip Cowell was born on 7 October 1959 in Lambeth, London, and brought up in Elstree, Hertfordshire. His mother, Julie Brett (née Josie Dalglish; 1925-2015), was a ballet dancer and socialite, and his father, Eric Selig Phillip Cowell, Sr. (1918–1999), was an estate agent developer and music industry executive. Cowell's father was from a mostly Jewish family, though he did not discuss his background with his children (Cowell's paternal grandmother had emigrated from Poland). Cowell's mother was from a Christian background, and was of English descent. He has a younger brother, Nicholas Cowell, three half-brothers, John, Tony, and Michael Cowell, and a half-sister, June Cowell.