Switching shows: Where is Simon Cowell judging next?
Simon Cowell has judged contestants on 'American Idol' and 'The X-Factor,' and now jumps to a show he helped create: NBC's 'America's Got Talent.'
Simon Cowell poses for photographers at the Elle Style Awards in London in 2015.
Joel Ryan/Invision/AP/File
Simon Cowell is returning as a reality competition judge on American television.
Mr. Cowell, who most TV viewers know from the singing competition 鈥淎merican Idol,鈥� is reportedly taking Howard Stern鈥檚 place as a judge on NBC鈥檚 competition 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Got Talent.鈥澛�
Cowell co-created the show, which debuted in 2006, with Ken Warwick and Jason Raff, so he鈥檚 more than familiar with how it works.
In addition to 鈥淚dol,鈥� he has served as a judge on Fox鈥檚 鈥淭he X Factor鈥� and the British version of that program.
Nick Cannon hosts the show and the other judges are currently Howie Mandel of 鈥淒eal or No Deal,鈥� former Spice Girls member Mel B, and Heidi Klum of the reality fashion design competition 鈥淧roject Runway.鈥�
Cowell's trademark, biting critical remarks, offended some viewers while delighting others.
He is partly responsible for one of the most popular American talent competitions of all time and one that dominated pop culture for years.
Prior to his television days, Cowell was a talent scout and music producer. He produced and helped judge the British TV series 鈥淧op Idol,鈥� which debuted in 2001, and he then helped bring it to America as 鈥淎merican Idol,鈥� debuting a year later.
鈥淎merican Idol鈥� became a huge hit, spawning such stars as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood and anchoring Fox's lineup for years.
The draw of 鈥淎merican Idol鈥� has waned over the years, however. Cowell and original judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson have all departed, and Fox recently announced that the upcoming season of the show will be its last.聽
Cowell stumbled with the program 鈥淭he X Factor.鈥� A British version had proven popular with viewers 鈥撀爐he twist was that groups or solo artists could audition (the group One Direction came from the British show). The American version of 鈥淴鈥� debuted on Fox while 鈥淚dol鈥� was still on the air, and Cowell served as a judge with various others who rotated in and out. Ratings declined sharply over the three seasons of the show, and it was canceled in 2014.聽
鈥淎merica's Got Talent鈥� is still performing well for NBC, however.
For the most part, reality competitions that are still on television are long-running programs with proven pull. Programs like 鈥淪urvivor鈥� and 鈥淭he Bachelor鈥� debuted in the early 2000s, and even the hit show 鈥淒ancing With the Stars鈥� debuted more than 10 years ago, while 鈥淭alent鈥� has been on almost as long. NBC鈥檚 鈥淭he Voice鈥� and ABC鈥檚 鈥淪hark Tank鈥� are some of the few newer shows that have broken through, with 鈥淭ank鈥� having come on the air in 2009 and 鈥淰oice鈥� having debuted in 2011.聽
It may be telling, then, that Cowell is coming aboard an existing show as a judge rather than creating another new one of his own.