Byrne: 'Cowell is bigger than Brad Pitt'

Westlife star Nicky Byrne has claimed that Simon Cowell has got bigger than Brad Pitt in America ever since he created hit reality TV show American Idol.

The singer, who has sold 40 million albums and had six number one album with the pop group, insisted that Cowell has become a huge megastar and they take the mickey out of him for it.

He told The Sun: "Simon is bigger than Brad Pitt in America. Ever since he started American Idol he’s become a megastar.

"We met up with him in the States a couple of years ago but we couldn’t get near him because he was so busy signing autographs.

"We take the mickey out of him. In his office he has a mirror that says, ‘Yes, Simon, you look terrific’. "

But Byrne claimed that their record company boss has not changed since he became such a huge celebrity, saying: "He wasn’t famous when we first met him but he hasn’t changed. How you see him behave on The X Factor is how he has always been."