If I said to most of the people who auditioned, 'Good job, awesome, well done,' it would have made me actually look and feel ridiculous. It's quite obvious most of the people who turned up for this audition were hopeless.

Women say hello and then put their hands down my trousers. I thought it was my hand they were supposed to shake.

I've never liked the idea you have to be a certain age to be a pop star. I like the idea that anybody can enter, anybody can compete.

Every show I've ever, you know, produced, essentially it's the show I want to watch myself.

I want people to understand that from the minute Lady Gaga arrived, she created a new set of rules: being different is good; embrace it.

If we had to choose one American Idol to go out to dinner with, it would be Fantasia. There are no airs and graces about her. ... I like her.

I have total respect for anyone who discovers a band like Snow Patrol. I would be hopeless at signing a rock band, or anything alternative, cause I don't know what that audience are into and I don't particularly like that kind of music.