"I don’t believe the Bob Dylans of this world would make American Idol a better show."

The sharp-tongued TV personality added: "Do I prefer Kelly Clarkson’s music to Bob Dylan’s?

"Yes. I’ve never bought a Dylan record.

"A singing poet? It just bores me to tears."

The next series of American Idol hits our TV screens later this month.

Simon unveils search for new stars - Dec 20 2006
Simon Cowell unveiled his latest TV project today - a talent search to find two stars for the West End musical Grease.

The ITV1 show will follow a format similar to the BBC hit How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?

It will pluck two unknowns from obscurity to fill the lead roles of Sandy and Danny, played in the 1978 film by Olivia Newton John and John Travolta, for a new stage production opening next summer.

BBC bosses had hoped to land the show - BBC Worldwide is already co-producing a US version for NBC, hosted by Denise Van Outen and titled Grease: You’re The One That I Want!

But the X Factor judge snatched the British series from under their noses by striking a deal with the creators of the Grease musical.

And he couldn’t resist a joke at Auntie’s expense.

"As with anything you want to buy, you have got to pay a lot of money. These things don’t come cheap and rightly so.

"I think it’s good the BBC haven’t got it so it isn’t coming out of licence fee payers’ pockets. I think we have done a great service," he quipped.

And Simon, who is said to have signed a £20 million deal with ITV last week, insisted he had beaten the Beeb fair and square.

"We’ve been thinking about making this show for years. Luckily we are the ones who got it.

"We didn’t steal it from them because they didn’t have it in the first place.

Simon plans Hollywood assault? - Dec 20 2006
It seems Simon Cowell is not content with his £60million bank balance - he now wants to crack the Hollywood movie market.

The 47-year-old music mogul has just signed X Factor winner Leona Lewis but will not be taking a well-earned break over the festive period - he plans to fly to LA to have meetings about a new film.

He said: "We just have to get the script right. Then in a year or so we’ll go into production."

Apparently the movie is based on a fictional reality show about two singers trying to make it to the top - and Simon may even take a starring role.

A mole told the Daily Star: "These plans are not for small projects and Simon is planning on going big budget and taking on the Hollywood bigwigs.

"Thanks to American Idol, he is a massive star in the States as well as here so if he is behind a good movie there’s a great chance it could be a hit.

"He’s already cracked the music market, so why not movies too?"

Simon and Louis in ’gay insults’ row - Nov 6 2006
Simon Cowell has branded Louis Walsh "petty and vindictive" after gay insults apparently erupted in a blazing row between the X Factor judges.

Their feud boiled over just after the show aired on Saturday and bodyguards had to prize the pair apart, according to the Daily Mirror.

Simon later stormed off the set - snubbing spin-off show The Xtra Factor.

The row began during the "camp" Abba-themed show, when Simon sniped that Louis had "a massive unfair advantage".