1. Cowell is chasing a new direction Simon Cowell: The Next Act, which hit Netflix on Wednesday, follows Cowell in his bid to put together the next One Direction, and do his bit to reassert western dominance in the only sphere that matters: the pop charts! There hasn't been a boyband from the UK or America who I think is as exciting as these K-pop artists, Cowell declares. But while he's convinced of the ginormous opportunity for a male version of the Spice Girls, the six-part docuseries has been widely panned, with reviews describing it as anachronistic and even bleak.
And, really, who deserves one of these more than Simon Cowell? Because here is a man who, as the face of The X Factor and Pop Idol, spent the first part of the 21st century at the top of the entertainment tree. He could make and break careers with a flick of his wrist. Discounting sport, royalty, Covid and (weirdly) Gavin & Stacey, the 2010 X Factor finale remains the most watched British TV show of the last 15 years.
"I remember seeing him walk into this room and saying: 'God, you look amazing, Liam. What have you done?' Cowell said from his London home. "'Well, I'm going to the gym' and blah, blah, blah. We talked about his son and how much it means to be a dad. And I was talking to him about there's more to life than just music; you've got to a point in your life where you've got choice now, etc. We just hung out as friends."
I think if he'd walked in and sang that version, I'm not gonna lie, I would've gone, 'Forget it.' Seriously. Because I didn't even know he wrote the song, when I heard his version, I was like, 'Whoa.' I just don't think that would have been a great audition.