First, the good news...
We didn't think it possible, but Simon Cowell is looking even smugger than usual. He thinks this year's American Idol could be the most successful series ever - with good reason. The current writers' strike has brought a temporary end to all scripted US TV. The result? No new episodes of hit shows such as Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives or The Office, which means more choice-starved viewers will be tuning into American Idol.

But Simon insists the writers' strike has no influence over the show's chances of success. "The good news is this is a much better season than last year," he boasts. "It's one of the strongest years we've had in a long, long time. It's younger: I think the talent is more current, they're more interesting people. So I go into this season a lot more optimistic than I went in last year."