Simon Cowell's shame as he admits 'I was horrible' to Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent
11 May 2026, 15:05
The BGT judge has opened up about his attitude towards Susan Boyle.
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Simon Cowell has admitted he feels ashamed watching back Susan Boyle’s first audition on Britain's Got Talent, describing the judging panel’s behaviour as “awful” and “horrible”.
The music mogul reflected on the now-iconic 2009 audition during an appearance on a podcast, where he spoke candidly about the reaction from himself before Susan began singing.
Susan stunned viewers around the world when she walked onto the stage and delivered a powerful rendition of 'I Dreamed A Dream' from Les Misérables, instantly becoming one of the most memorable contestants in reality television history.
Looking back at the moment, Simon admitted the judges wrongly made assumptions about Susan before hearing her sing.
Speaking on Jamie East’s Celebrity Trenches podcast, host Jamie East said: “Her audition to look back on is just awful. No one in that audition bathed themselves in a nice light did they?”
Simon agreed, replying: “I look back and I just think, ‘my God we look so awful, horrible.’ I actually don't think we look bad enough. I think we were even worse than that and they went, ‘you look awful.’”
He continued: “‘And I said, ‘we are awful!’ All of us. I mean that look that Piers gives me, I think out of all the looks I've ever remembered that might be the worst. I was just as bad.”
Simon also admitted the moment became “a bit of a wake up call” for the judging panel.
“Of course I had the ability to cut all of that stuff out but it was a bit of a wake up call. You can't judge a book by its cover,” he explained.
“We do look disgusting but you have to hold your hands up at that moment and go, ‘A lot of people are going to realise in about 24 hours that we are just horrible.’”
Susan previously opened up about how painful the experience initially felt, admitting she struggled with the public reaction to her appearance before she performed.
Speaking to the Irish Mirror in a past interview, the singer said: “It felt quite suffocating, almost as though I was an act in a freak show, and that hurt.”
She added: “It was incredibly difficult to come to terms with for a time, but the positives have far outweighed the negatives.”
Susan Boyle's 2009 Britain's Got Talent Audition:
Susan Boyle - Britains Got Talent 2009 Episode 1 - Saturday 11th April | HD High Quality
Susan also recalled feeling judged over her appearance and clothing during the audition process.
“Everyone was laughing at me; they wondered who this daft woman with the crazy hair was... and I had made a bad choice in clothes, so no-one had high expectations,” she said.
Despite the difficult start, Susan quickly became a global sensation after her audition aired, with millions of viewers praising her vocal talent and rallying behind her.
She went on to finish runner-up in the 2009 series of Britain’s Got Talent, but her career exploded after the show, leading to international tours, bestselling albums and worldwide fame.
Since then, Susan has built an estimated £30million fortune through music releases, television appearances and live performances.
Over the past few years, the singer has also embraced a fresh new image, sharing glamorous social media updates and posting photos with famous faces including Elton John, Peter Kay and Lionel Richie.
Her online presence has also become more playful in recent months, with fans seeing everything from throwback childhood photos to casual snaps in Oasis-inspired outfits and updates promoting her “Subo” merchandise range.
Susan has also remained closely connected to fans through social media, where she regularly shares updates about her music, charity work and personal life.
Watch As Susan Boyle gets the Golden Buzzer on America's Got Talent
In recent months, the singer has spoken openly about focusing on her wellbeing and confidence, with fans praising her “glow up” transformation and renewed public appearances.
Meanwhile, Simon’s comments have prompted fresh discussion online about how reality TV contestants were treated during earlier talent show eras, with many viewers revisiting Susan’s audition more than 15 years later.
One commented on the now infamous 2009 video: "Her walking off is so symbolic. I proved my point, I don’t need your approval. Bye."
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