Has Idol's success with being nice made your in-your-face honesty less popular?

I think everybody's happy with (Idol's) decision. When X Factor comes on, it's not gonna be like that; it won't have that kind of apple-pie, constantly smiling, whatever it is. I just couldn't make a show like that, to be honest with you. But I'm not knocking them. It's just not what I would do.

How are X Factor contestants different than on Idol?

We want somebody who's reflecting what is happening in the charts today; and don't be afraid to audition if you're that kind of artist.

So a Lady Gaga might be too distinctive for Idol but could work on X Factor?

A hundred percent. And you can see that on Idol, you know. There's a certain look of Idol contestants and I think the X Factor will be a very, very different kind of look which, again, I think is a good thing.

Any advice for people auditioning?

Certainly, to anyone under the age of 18 … do not listen to your parents. Don't listen to them in terms of the song choice, don't let them choose what you're gonna wear, particularly the 12-, 13-, 14-year-olds 'cause we used to get a lot of these kids who were practically shoved on by their parents in the wings, singing horrific versions of Annie while their mother was sort of mouthing it in the wings. I'm really making it clear: The kids have got to make their own mind up this year.

SIMON COWELL’S

      X Factor