Mr Nasty Rakes It In

Simon CowellWe knew he wasn't short of a few bob...

But Simon Cowell is officially a huge earner, raking in a cool £19.5m for one of his series.

US network Fox, who make American Idol, pay Mr Nasty the tidy sum because they think he's simply irreplaceable.

The amount was revealed in a new book by US TV critic Bill Carter, called Desperate Networks.

He said: "Simon is the crucial player. The commercials are going for the highest price in TV; the finale is being priced like the Superbowl."

American Idol, which made a star of Kelly Clarkson in 2002, racks up an average 25 million viewers.

Simon has said: "Americans embrace other people's success. Everything in America is larger than life."

Kelly ClarksonThe show followed on the heels of the UK's Pop Idol. Simon's former company, S Records, scored No.1 hits with Pop Idol winner Will Young and runner-up Gareth Gates.

X Factor, which he judged with Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh, also proved a massive hit.

But Simon doesn't keep all his pennies tucked away in the bank - he's spent £6m buying Jennifer Lopez's Beverly Hills mansion.