Simon Cowell might be the face of the X Factor, but he has revealed the show's production bosses once gave him the cold shoulder.
The media mogul, 62, has since gone on to prove them wrong - and then some - as he has led the line on a number of hit reality shows, which also includes America's Got Talent.
But back in the day, he's confessed he was turned down for a role in the mailroom of production company Fremantle.
Speaking to Howie Mandel on his podcast, Simon said: "I was thinking, how do you not give someone the job in the mailroom? All I am doing is delivering the mail. How can you say no? I was thinking ‘I will be quick’. Anyway, I didn’t get the job."
Howie then jibed: "I do not think any one person has made more money for Fremantle than Simon Cowell."
The company produces shows such as American Idol, The X Factor and versions of the Got Talent series across the globe.
Simon was recently on hand to help honour the original American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson as she accepted her star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
Kelly, 40, won the show in 2002 and went on to have huge hits all over the world, including Stronger, Since U Been Gone and Because Of You. She has also forged a successful TV hosting show and won an Emmy Award for her self titled The Kelly Clarkson Show, which began in 2019.
Simon was joined for the special occasion by fellow former judges on the show Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. And in true Simon style he couldn't resist talking a dig at Paula, 60, for being late to the party.
Kelly's award comes after she put a tough period of her life behind her. She recently ditched the surname of her ex-husband following their divorce. In March she explained how she had reverted back to her maiden name, leaving behind the Blackstock name three weeks after finalising her divorce settlement with Brandon.
She had initially filed to change her legal name in February and was reported as saying at the time that she wanted to go by her first and middle name because it "more fully reflects who [she is]".
