Simon Cowell - ‘I often think: what gives me the right to judge people?’

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

Sony Music

Society & Culture

4.8 • 9.4K Ratings

🗓️ 7 May 2025

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Simon Cowell has built an entertainment empire on his ability to say exactly what he thinks and an uncanny ability to judge the public mood. From launching Pop Idol in 2001, The X Factor in 2004 and the cultural behemoth Britain’s Got Talent in 2007, he has been at the helm of primetime around the world for over a quarter of a century. His TV shows and Syco record label have shaped the careers of everyone from One Direction to Little Mix, Susan Boyle and Leona Lewis. But his success hasn’t come without its struggles. For the first time, Cowell opens up about his biggest failures and regrets - an extraordinary thing to hear from one of the most successful men on the planet. We chat about fame, bankruptcy, loss, being ‘obnoxious’ and whether he has any regrets. Plus: what breaking his back and a near-death experience taught him and why he thinks we needs another referendum on Brexit. Britain’s Got Talent is currently airing on ITV, and America’s Got Talent celebrates its 20th year this summer on NBC. ‘The biggest risk is being safe’ - Elizabeth and Simon answer YOUR questions in our subscriber series, Failing with Friends. Join our community of subscribers here: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Have something to share of your own? I'd love to hear from you! Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com 🌎 Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code [howtofail] at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/howtofail ⛵ Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan Mix Engineer: Josh Gibbs Producer: Hannah Talbot Executive Producer: Carly Maile How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello there. Did you know that you can hear all of the things that my guests might have failed to divulge in the main episode by joining us in our subscriber community failing with friends? It's where you will hear really riveting pieces of information like Olivia Atwood's dream date location or Miranda Hart's advice on performing bodily functions in front of your
0:22.2	partner. Just follow the link in the podcast notes and we will see you there. Welcome to How to Fail.
0:39.4	Now, this podcast was born out of my own failures in life.
0:43.5	And I firmly believe that we measure success in the lessons we've learned along the way
0:48.2	rather than the things that always go to plan.
0:50.8	So every week, I ask a new guest about three times they failed and what, if
0:56.0	anything, they've learned along the way. It was like publicly being humiliated, but I remember
1:02.4	someone shouting out, you wanker. And I went, actually, you're right, I am a wanker. Would you judge
1:09.8	as having sex? I'm like, are you winding me up? They went, no, a wanker. Would you judge us having sex?
1:11.0	I'm like, are you winding me up?
1:12.8	They went, no, we'll pay you.
1:14.9	How much?
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1:48.0	My guest today remembers proffering his first critical judgment at the age of four
	...

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