Will Young Feared Simon Cowell Could Ruin His Career

Will Young has recounted his fear that Simon Cowell might have "destroyed his career" following a significant feud between them during the filming of Pop Idol. Young, who won the competition in 2002 and achieved a record-breaking debut single, famously clashed with Cowell on the show.

Cowell had labeled Young's performance of The Doors' "Light My Fire" as "distinctly average," a critique Young openly disagreed with on air. The tension escalated after Young secured a record deal. He recounted a "big fallout" with Cowell when the music mogul wanted him to record an Elvis song as a double A-side to his and Gareth Gates's cover of The Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road."

"I said, 'I’ve done the Doors [Light My Fire], we’re doing the Beatles and now you want me to destroy Elvis? No. Can’t do it,'" Young told The Telegraph. "That’s when it really fell out." Gareth Gates ultimately recorded "Suspicious Minds" alone, while Young sought advice from Simon Fuller, who also had an interest in his career.

Young recalled asking Fuller, "Can [Cowell] destroy my career?" and being reassured, "No, it would never happen." Young further expressed his strong aversion to Cowell's behavior, stating, "I didn't like him at all. I don't like bullies. Remember, I grew up around bullies, I was at a very abusive school so my touch point for that type of person is finely tuned."

Following the disagreement, Annie Lennox's producer Steve Lipson offered to produce Young's second album. Young credited Lipson, saying he "wouldn't have a career if it wasn’t for Steve."

The singer also spoke about his non-existent relationship with Cowell on Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball's Dig It podcast, remarking, "he just sort of hated me. I don't think he ever got over it... But it was fine."

Reflecting on the experience, Young noted that the conflict likely contributed to his career, generating curiosity about him. He told PA, "I have to remind myself how young I was and how powerful he was - and I stood up for myself and for others. And I am very proud of that. It was kind of my defining moment really."

In 2024, Young reiterated his past feelings, recalling meeting Cowell before Pop Idol during a boy band competition and thinking, "I really don't like that man." He explained that his upbringing in an environment with "unpleasant men" made his "radar for people who I perceive as unpleasant is quite on." He felt compelled to speak out on live television, stating, "I'm not saying that he's abusive, but my radar is pretty good. So my reaction was on live TV when I came across him... And I just thought, 'no one's telling this man. Why is no one telling him?' And so I was like, 'I'm going to tell him.'"

Young suggested that people in the entertainment industry often exploit others' desires. By that stage of his career, he had already experienced depression and personal loss, which he said put the situation into perspective. "It wasn't the be all and end all. And so I didn't care about letting someone like him get away with it... Whereas I think lots of people in subsequent programs, I think there has been some awful behaviour actually, which is pretty well documented."