Simon Cowell was interviewed this morning by Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS FM radio show. Listen after the jump:
Simon told the nail-biting tale of driving to yesterday’s press conference, still without an X Factor agreement. Terms were settled at the last minute, and he signed the papers in front of the critics assembled in Pasadena.
“You got to know when it’s time to go, ” Simon said. At one point, he planned to do both shows, but in the end decided it would be too much. “You know about overexposure, right?” said Simon, “I genuinely thought people would be sick and tired of me.”
“It all came together in the last few days, ” admitted Simon. And that last minute snafu? Simon blamed it on the lawyers “getting a little bit uptight.” Simon said, “We all shook hands…there were people around me in tears.”
The X Factor has a host, but Simon would not reveal who it is. “You’ll have to wait to see, ” he said. Simon would neither confirm nor deny that Paula Abdul would be joining him on the judges panel.
What will Simon miss on Idol? “Everything, ” he said. “We had fun, didn’t we…”
2nd Update: Added Extra interview with Terri Seymour. Simon says the first Season of Idol was his favorite, because he didn’t know what was going to happen.
Update: Added CBS interview with Amanda Holden and Constantine, plus Simon Cowell interview with FOX news.
More media after the JUMP…
Amanda Holden and Constantine Maroulis on CBC News.
Simon discusses X Factor and Leaving Idol with FOX News
Simon Cowell interview with Extra
