Simon Cowell: ‘Will Young Obnoxious, Full Of Himself’

Simon Cowell has revealed that he still can’t bring himself to watch footage of Will Young’s Pop Idol win – because he was so desperate for Gareth Gates to triumph instead.

The music mogul discusses his dislike for the ‘Jealousy’ singer in The Talent Show Story, which begins this Saturday on ITV1.

“I thought he was obnoxious, full of himself,” he said, recalling the first time the pair met in 2001. “I thought this will be interesting, you don’t like me, I don’t like you… and nothing’s changed particularly.”

Young went on to win the series over Gates and Darius Danesh in the 2002 final.

“I still to this day can’t watch the final back because I was really, really disappointed. I really liked Gareth and wanted him to win.

“I remember feeling it in my stomach, I felt sick, that’s how much it affected me; it shouldn’t but it did.”

Will’s victory singles, ‘Evergreen’ and ‘Everything Is Possible’, went on to become the biggest-selling hits of the last decade, but last year the singer dubbed them “awful, awful songs”.

He was tipped to become a judge on the UK incarnation of The Voice, but was ditched at the last minute.