He doesn't find talent. He builds machines that find talent, and the machines turned out to be worth more than anyone they discovered.
At a glance
- Known for
- Creator and judge of American Idol, The X Factor, and the Got Talent franchise
- Before fame
- Went bankrupt at 28 selling novelty records and moved back in with his parents
- Off-screen
- Broke his back falling off an e-bike in 2020, then broke his arm in a second e-bike crash two years later
Rise to Fame
A mailroom job at EMI got him into the music business, but only because his father was an executive there. He co-founded Fanfare Records and scored a hit with Sinitta's "So Macho" in 1986. Three years later Pete Waterman froze the label's assets and took his Porsche. He was 30, broke, living with his parents.
The comeback started with novelty records. Power Rangers soundtracks, wrestling themes, anything that moved units. Then Robson & Jerome showed him the formula: two TV actors whose "Unchained Melody" cover sold 1.8 million copies because viewers already felt like they knew them. He didn't need to find talent in a studio. He needed to find it on camera. Pop Idol in 2001 and American Idol in 2002 turned that instinct into the highest-rated show on American television.
In the Spotlight
The Got Talent franchise now airs in 72 territories. In 2022, he securitized it in a $125 million deal, the first time a non-scripted format has been packaged as a financial instrument. He bought out Sony's stake in Syco Entertainment in 2020, keeping the TV brands while Sony kept the record label. The music was never really the point.
But the machine has costs. Six former X Factor contestants took legal action in 2021, alleging bullying and neglect. Gabrielle Union sued over what she called a toxic culture behind the scenes at AGT. After Liam Payne died in October 2024, Cowell attended the funeral and broke down crying. His response to the broader criticism: "The idea that you are essentially responsible for somebody's life, 10 years after you've signed someone? You can't do that."
Side Notes
His son Eric, born on Valentine's Day 2014, rewired him. He's said his life was "99 percent work" before fatherhood. The kid also got him to quit Botox. He'd been open about using fillers for years, but when eight-year-old Eric was "in hysterics" at his face, he stopped cold. "There is no filler in my face at all now."
The personal life before Eric was a revolving door. He dated Sinitta on and off for roughly 20 years, dated Terri Seymour for seven (bought her a $4.6 million house after the split), then had an affair with Lauren Silverman while she was married to his friend Andrew. Andrew filed for divorce citing adultery and named Cowell as co-respondent. Lauren now goes by Cowell. He's said his fortune will go to charity, not to his children.