How I wish I caught this one! Pop Idol’s Mr Nasty, Simon Cowell, has finally met his match after facing contestants on the US version of the hit ITV show, called ‘American Idol: The Search for Superstar’. The first show was screened on last Wednesday night was just as entertaining as the British original.

One optimistic participator striked back at Simon after he said she was a poor singer, telling him he was “deaf”. She then refused to leave the stage and went on to say that he’s “an ass”. All this on the very first episode.

Filmed at the auditions in Los Angeles, popstar-wannabe Tamika Bush hit back at Simon after being knocked back. She told him “I am hurt and I am angry. He’s an ass. And he can kiss my natural-born black ass.”

As you’ve read, the British record executive, Simon obviously must have reprised his Pop Idol stint as a judge, this time alongside record producer Randy Jackson and singer Paula Abdul.Tensions have already arisen on the judging panel, with Paula asking Simon “Why do you have to be so rude?”

But despite all this, Simon has refused to tone down his acid tongue, which reduced many UK hopefuls to tears.

“You can’t sing and you have no talent” he told one blond-haired contestant. He warned another group “This will be the audition from hell.” And he advised another popstar wannabe, after asking if she had a lawyer and a voice coach, to use the former to sue her voice coach.

More than 10,000 hopefuls attended talent searches across America for the show, which is due to conclude in September. US network, Fox TV, is thought to have paid around GBP35 million for the rights to ‘Pop Idol’.