Simon Cowell Deemed 'The Worst' After He Shared This 'Regret' About One Direction

Simon Cowell recently revealed his biggest regret about boyband One Direction, which didn't sit well with fans. Cowell mentored One Direction on The X Factor in 2010. He then signed the group to his Syco record label after they finished third on the show. The band, consisting of Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, went on to achieve global stardom. They sold over 70 million records worldwide before going their separate ways in 2016.

In a new podcast interview The Diary Of A CEO, Cowell admitted he regrets not owning the rights to the band name. "One thing I regret is, I should have kept the name. I should have owned the name," he told host Steven Bartlett. Cowell confirmed that the band members own the name. He said that's the 'problem', "my only regret." Cowell admitted that he wanted to use the name for other ventures like animations. He even jokingly offered to buy back the name from the guys. "If you're listening, I'll buy it back from you," he quipped, as per The Daily Star.

Cowell also opined that band feuds could have been avoided if he controlled the name. "If one of the band members says they don't wanna tour, it can stop the others touring. So, if it was me who owned the name, it wouldn't be a problem." The remarks sparked backlash online. Ashton Irwin of 5 Seconds of Summer, deemed Cowell 'the worst', on X. A fan added, "He looked defeated and I really hope it means he has no exclusive power on them anymore. They were so smart in keeping their name and actually blocking whatever action was taken in the name of One Direction." Another echoed, "We all know the only reason is talking about them is because he has no power anymore and the only way he can be relevant is by tying himself to them."

During his time on The X-Factor, Cowell was well-known for his candid and blunt critique of musical performances. He later disclosed that he has worked on his temper and criticism since the birth of his son Eric, who is now ten years old. "There’s no question. When you have a kid, it does make you feel different because you understand how you would feel if it was your son up there," he shared.

There has been significant tension between Cowell and the One Direction singers. He previously praised Styles, Tomlinson, and Horan's 'loyalty' after Payne signed a separate deal. Meanwhile, Payne claimed that they were 'overworked'. "I had no personal life, I learned nothing about myself. I just lived for so long as this reclusive pop star who was afraid of people, who just stayed inside all the time. I needed to stop. It would have killed me," as per The Mirror.