Simon Cowell Talks - X Factor, The Judges, Melanie Amaro and Paula Abdul. Plus A General Q&A Session From Simon's Whirlwind Visit To Canada.

Spinning chairs. I'm going to suggest a little addition, not only does it spin, it ejects people, all the way through the ceiling!

Q: Do you think the ratings will go up this year? Do you think the cast has something to do with it?

I've got to say yes. There is a lot of interest in the cast. I have to say, if I was sitting back as an outsider, I would want to see Britney on this show. Overall, with the other stuff we've said, I think it's going to be an improvement.

Q: How do you feel about people tuning in to see if Britney was going to fail?

That always happens…. But if that was the case he would have said to me or I would have said to her, oh this isn't working or you can't cope with it or you can't do the job - but its not the case. Oh I mean she is an interesting person, she's not bog standard, but that’s not why we hired her.

For me it feels energised and I'm feeling that from the audience we have who come and see the show, there’s a real buzz in the air.

Simon on how Paula Abdul feels about the new line up

I think she's said on record she thinks it’s a good idea. I have always said this to Paula and I've backed it up with Nicole. Because we make a lot of shows, there aren't that many people you can put on the shows so I would always do something with her. Nicole's got the UK gig now, for Paula something will come along I am guessing in the next few months that she'd be perfect for – and also because we've got a friendship apart from working together – I like her.

Q: So she's got a job on the way?

If she wants it.

Q: What's the worst thing you've ever done?

Tons of things, most of which are in the book that just came out. I've been a naughty boy! That's why I got in the music business. I've had my fair share, nothing too bad.

Q: Have you been enjoying the single life?

It's fun! But the problem is there seems to be a type now, over 60, divorced or widowed! You kind of think there maybe someone in their late 20s mid 30s maybe 40s, but no there's always a type…!

Q: I have to say you don't seem very mean sitting
here

I’m not – if I get bored and you audition for me and you are useless and you tell me your blessed and you're not then I get a bit annoyed.

Q: Did you ever think you'd still be in the spotlight on air after this many years?

I get the craziness.. And I had a phone call from Ann-Marie the other day who has been working with me in publicity for the last, what 8/9 years which summed up to me the ridiculousness. She said ' A very interesting story about you Simon , I think you'll be happy, you're the second most recognisable face in history after Hitler.

Part of me was kind of annoyed, but that to me put it into perspective that this is a kind of a weird life but I was immensely flattered because it means that people watch the shows. Without the shows and without the shows being popular no one would know who I am. And that’s why it’s a positive thing – because the alternative is you do a show, nobody watches it and then nobody knows who you are.

We've got to deserve getting an audience and you only do that by making a good show.

Q: What would you like people to say about you?

Simon: He's better looking in real life!

Q: Do you ever regret being in the spotlight with all the crazy headlines

I couldn't care less! Anyone will tell you, advantages or disadvantages, It’s about 99% advantage, genuinely just about every single person I've ever met through this job, people like yourself and when you are on the road, they are nice to you,

I don't like small talk, I like to be able to have a common ground and if people are interested in what you do – its a nice way of having a conversation and you get nice tables and you get better discounts! I don't get freebies I get great discounts!

I've got to tell you, when she didn't win and we had all these problems – there was a day and it was one of the lowest days I've ever had in my life where I genuinely had to look at myself and go have I done the wrong thing here – you know, was she happier in her old life or have I put her in a situation where, in her mind she has failed because she hasn't won and she literally can't deal with the pressure – and I didn’t know the answer to that.

I would have to argue even with the problems that she has, that we've given her a better life than what the alternative was which was frustration, being bullied and not ever knowing whether she had it within her to do what she did.

But every artist carries a responsibility, you know they are not robots, they have issues. What we try and do, when someone is in that situation is you don't give them a crazy promotion schedule, you don't make crazy demands of them and you let them make the choice of whether they want to make a record or not, do a TV show, not make a TV show and in the real world when you balance it up with some of the crappy things going on in the world I had a clear conscience and I can say I'd do it again.

We'll she's rich! Maybe too rich I don't know! I heard a little bit of track she recorded last week which I think is a smash and with Melanie we have to make an outstandingly good record, because she's that good and when they are that good it takes a little longer. And I never put a timeline.

When I made the first Leona Lewis record, I took me two years to make the album and as I said to Melanie 'it doesn't matter to me along as you make a great record, come back on the show and people remember how good you are. And we've just finished Josh's album the runner up and its outstanding – a really good record.

Well it’s irritating when the headline is that I stole their name! I think they could have been a little bit more gracious about the fact that obviously. It was a coincidence, nobody was being unpleasant about it and we could have done this amicably and I actually maybe could have helped them! But everyone wanted the story that 'mean Simon stole the poor group's name' and actually it was the best publicity they'd ever had – I don't think anyone had heard of them before that.

Q: How soon a Canadian X Factor?

It’s partly why I'm here, I've got to get to a position where it starts with a record label.

Have we got the money because we have to make the show compete with what you would see say from the states, because you can't make an inferior version, and can we do what we set out to do and if we can get those two elements agreed then we've got somewhere to start.

I would be the first to come here and I'd put my name out there and say to all the Canadians who want to enter – look maybe forget the past and how its done, we'll do it a different way, I'm going to back you here financially because I believe we can find a star.

There has to be somebody listening to this, who is that person – I have to believe that.”