A Trick on Simon Cowell
Dannii Minogue, the Australian singer and former judge on The X Factor UK, has shared a story about a clever trick she played on Simon Cowell during their time on the show. The 54-year-old revealed that she once took revenge for his constant teasing, which often left her feeling embarrassed.
Minogue was a judge on the show from 2007 to 2010, and during an appearance on The Joel Creasey Show, she recounted how Cowell would frequently mock her for being too serious. “Simon would often tease me so much because I would say something, and genuinely be into it, and he would just say ‘That’s rubbish’, and turn everyone against me just for fun,” she said.
This led to a game of one-upmanship between the two, with each trying to outdo the other in their attempts to humiliate. Minogue’s moment of triumph came when Cowell had One Direction in his group. The band had previously auditioned as solo performers during Season 10 before Cowell and Nicole Scherzinger suggested they form a band to compete under his guidance.
However, Minogue claimed that Cowell struggled to remember their names and relied on notes. “We are near the pointy end of the show [and] he couldn’t remember their names without having a bit of paper under the desk, and I knew no one else would call him out on it,” she said. “So, I took the bit of paper and said ‘Speak to the boys now’… on live TV.”
Cowell was only able to name four of the five singers and incorrectly called Zayn Malik ‘Ollie’. This moment became one of Minogue’s most memorable on the show.
Struggles on the Show
During her chat with Creasey, Minogue also spoke about the intense pressure she faced while on the show. She described suffering from severe anxiety, depression, and stress during her time on The X Factor. “I was thrown in the deep end, let me tell you,” she said.
She explained that she came from doing Australia’s Got Talent in Australia to The X Factor in the UK at the height of its popularity. “The country stopped to watch it,” she said. “And as it comes down the panel, the most iconic panel. You’ve got Simon, you’ve got Sharon [Osbourne], you’ve got Louis [Walsh], and everybody knew them.”
The press in the country questioned her presence on the show, asking, “Why are you here? Why do you think you can do this job?” Minogue responded, “I’m as confused as you are. I don’t know why I’m here. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’ll do my best to work it out.”
Romance with Simon Cowell
Minogue eventually quit the show in 2011 and returned to Australia, but not before a reported romance with Cowell, who is 12 years her senior. Rumours of their relationship first surfaced in 2007, and both denied it at the time. However, Cowell later admitted in his 2012 biography, Sweet Revenge: The Intimate Life of Simon Cowell, that they had a brief romance during her early years on the show.
He described being “like a schoolboy” during his “crush” on her and mentioned the “nights of passion” they shared. He later expressed regret for his ungentlemanly behavior in writing about the topic, though he stated he did not want to lie to his biographer, even though the revelation reportedly upset Minogue.
Tensions with Sharon Osbourne
Another judge on The X Factor, Sharon Osbourne, reportedly knew about the relationship between Minogue and Cowell. In her 2013 autobiography, Unbreakable, she claimed that the relationship caused an “unbearable” atmosphere on the set of the show. Osbourne has also made other unflattering comments about Minogue over the years.
Minogue, in turn, has described Osbourne as a bully.
Personal Life
Minogue has a son, Ethan, 15, with former UK-born rugby player turned model Kris Smith. They dated from 2008 to 2012.
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