The biggest shock when I lost it all was the realization that so much of my life had been out of my control. When I started to make the money back, I vowed that it would never happen again. I bought things only when I could afford them. There was no big mortgage, no cars on hire purchase. I remember buying a TR6 sports car for £6,000, and funnily enough it gave me more pleasure than the Porsche ever had.

What I'm interested in watching is to make sure that they give the right advice now to the contestants who are going forward because, you know, it's one thing just to criticize but you've got to also give, you know, good advice which is going to help them. Overall, I think they're a good panel.

It's not our intention to be mean. That's just within us.

I grew up when the whole Motown thing was huge. The charts in those days were dominated by groups more than solo artists at one point.

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

I got good advice once. Someone said to me: 'Live in your money rather than look at 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.