caption years_active children birth_place image_size television relatives article_title name birth_date residence image employer education birth_name partner occupation
cowell red carpet in december 2011 . arriving at '' the x factor usa '' 1979 -- present 1 lambeth , london , england 250px '' -lrb- 2001 -- 02 -rrb- '' american idol '' -lrb- ` 2002 -- 10 -rrb- '' the x factor uk '' judging -lrb- 2004 -- 10 ; 2014 -- -rrb- '' britain '' 's got talent '' -lrb- 2007 -- -rrb- '' the ' x factor usa '' -lrb- 2011 -- 13 -rrb- '' '' ` producing '' ' '' idol '' franchise -lrb- 2002 pop -- -rrb- '' the x factor '' franchise -lrb- 2005 idol -- -rrb- '' got talent '' franchise -lrb- 2007 -- '' -rrb- '' the you generation '' -lrb- 2013 -- -rrb- nicholas -rrb- cowell -lrb- brother -rrb- tony cowell -lrb- half-brother simon cowell
 simon cowell 7 october 1959 london , england simon cowell in december 2011.jpg itv plc dover college simon phillip cowell lauren silverman -lrb- 2013 -- present -rrb- reality and record producer television judge , businessman , philanthropist , television
simon cowell

simon phillip cowell -lrb- ; born 7 october 1959 -rrb- is an english television talent judge and mentor , music and television producer , and music talent scout -lrb- aka a&r executive -rrb- .
he is most recognized as a judge on the english tv talent competition series `` pop idol '' , `` the x factor '' , and `` britain 's got talent '' , and the american tv singing competition shows `` american idol '' and `` the x factor '' .
cowell owns the television production and music publishing house syco .
as a judge , cowell often makes blunt and controversial comments , including insults and wisecracks about contestants and their abilities .
he combines activities in both the television and music industries .
cowell has produced and promoted singles and albums for various artists , including television personalities .
he was most recently featured on the ninth series of `` britain 's got talent '' and the eleventh series of uk 's `` the x factor '' .
in 2004 and 2010 , american magazine `` time '' named cowell one of the 100 most influential people in the world .
in 2010 , the british magazine `` new statesman '' listed cowell at number 41 in a list of `` 50 people who matter 2010 '' .
`` tv guide '' named him # 10 in their 2013 list of the 60 nastiest villains of all time .
cowell is involved in a number of charitable activities .
he has appeared on the two major uk charity telethons , bbc children in need and comic relief , and is a patron of the uk charity together for short lives for all children with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions , and since 2009 , children 's hospices uk .
