Simon Cowell has finally opened up about one of the most controversial moments in the history of Britain’s Got Talent — and admitted he still feels “awful” over how Susan Boyle was treated during her unforgettable 2009 audition.
The music mogul confessed that he, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan behaved “horribly” when Susan Boyle first walked onto the stage before stunning the nation with her performance of I Dreamed A Dream.
Speaking on the podcast Celebrity Trenches with Jamie East, Simon admitted the judges completely misjudged Susan based on her appearance and body language before she even sang.
Reflecting on the moment, Simon painfully admitted: “My God, we look so awful, horrible. I actually don’t think we looked bad enough — I think we were even worse than that.”
He continued: “That look that Piers gives me… out of all the looks I’ve ever remembered, that might be the worst. I was just as bad.”
Simon even revealed he had the power to remove those reaction shots from the final edit — but deliberately chose not to because the backlash became “a wake-up call.”
He explained: “You can’t judge a book by its cover. A lot of people were going to realise in about 24 hours that we were just horrible.”
At the time, Susan Boyle’s audition became one of the most viral moments in television history. As she walked onstage in a simple dress and introduced herself, parts of the audience laughed openly, while the judges exchanged sceptical glances.
But within seconds of singing Les Misérables’ iconic ballad, Susan completely silenced the room and received one of the loudest standing ovations the show had ever seen.
Years later, Susan admitted the experience left deep emotional scars.
She previously confessed she felt like “an act in a freak show” during the audition process and said people mocked her appearance, hair and clothing before hearing her voice.
Susan recalled: “Everyone was laughing at me. They wondered who this daft woman with the crazy hair was.”
Despite the humiliation, the singer went on to become one of the biggest success stories reality television has ever produced. Although she finished runner-up on the show, Susan later built a global music career reportedly worth around £30 million.
In recent years, the Scottish star has undergone a major transformation, unveiling a glamorous new blonde hairstyle, focusing on fitness, and becoming increasingly active on social media.
She has recently shared photos with stars including Elton John, Peter Kay, Lionel Richie and Marcus Wareing — while also delighting fans with playful posts and her own “Subo” merchandise line.
