No one can deny the impact that X Factor judge Simon Cowell has made. His acerbic put-downs and witty one-liners have sparked international debate whilst at the same time earning him a legion of admirers. Cowell's own story has all the brutal honesty you'd expect. I Don't Mean to be Rude But... is as compulsive entertaining and hard-hitting as his trademark insults.

With tips and advice on becoming a star from the man who knows how to make it happen this book is the ultimate through-the-keyhole view inside the music industry. But it wouldn't be complete without setting the record straight about those trousers and the truth about the women in his life. In the fully updated paperback edition of I Don't Mean to be Rude But... Simon predicts the future for the X Factor winners and dishes the dirt on American Idol.

It's a complusive read and as compelling as the man himself.