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Simon Cowell is an English television personality, producer, and entrepreneur. He rose in popularity with famous shows such as X Factor UK, Britain’s Got Talent, and American Idol.
Cowell is one of the four judges of America’s Got Talent and is an integral part of the show. He has been a judge on the show since season 11, which premiered in May 2016, alongside other judges such as Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, Julianne Hough, Mel B, and Gabrielle Union.
Cowell is also the founder of Syco Entertainment, the British media, entertainment, and production company behind many popular shows like the Got Talent and X Factor franchises.
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More on Simon Cowell’s history with America’s Got Talent
After Cowell’s shows, The Idol and X Factor were successful, he, along with his company Syco Music and his business partners, developed America’s Got Talent. He was inspired by the 1956 show Opportunity Knocks, which showcased talent of all kinds.
He was the executive producer of America’s Got Talent, which went on air in 2006, along with Freemantle, the producer of his other shows, such as The Idol. When Britain’s Got Talent premiered in 2007, Simon Cowell took the spot of a judge. Under Simon's skillful hands, Got Talent was named the most successful reality TV show by Guinness World Records in 2014.
The show's success led to versions being produced in 68 different countries. He went on to become the judge of the American version of the show from season 11. He replaced Howard Stern, the American radio show host who judged the show for four consecutive seasons from season 7 to 10.
Simon Cowell's career graph before he came up with Got Talent
One of the first record labels that Simon Cowell started was Fanfare Records, which was behind the hit song So Macho by Sinitta in 1986. However, soon after, the company went under, and its assets had to be frozen. He had to give away his Porsche, and he nearly went bankrupt.
Under a new record label called S Records, Simon Cowell persuaded two artists, Robson Green and Jerome Flynn, to record the song Unchained Melody. They went on to release their best-selling album under S Records as well. The duo reportedly earned Simon his first million after he went down with Fanfare Records.
In 2001, Cowell was assigned the role of a judge on the British show Pop Idol, after which he went on to judge American Idol in 2002. He created Syco Music in 2005 and started producing music, shows, and films under the label.
Alongside his judging position on Pop Idol, Simon Cowell started judging the British version of X Factor, which he continued until 2015. Apart from TV, Simon has also appeared on various TV shows, such as Scary Movie III and Shrek 2.
Awards and recognition
Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2004 and 2010. Cowell received the Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall, London, in 2008. Simon Cowell was also featured in the BBC docuseries The New Elizabethans, which marked Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Watch the latest episode of season 19 of America's Got Talent on NBC on August 20 at 8 p.m. ET.
