Cowell: 'Idol' auditions are like torture

Simon Cowell has likened sitting through the American Idol auditions to "torture".

The show's judge said he was still shocked at how many of the early contestants continued to believe they could sing, despite the panel's attempts to dissuade them.

The seventh series of the talent search kicks off in Philadelphia next week and Cowell said viewers could expect the usual mixed bunch of hopefuls.

He explained: "It is becoming increasingly like torture, but you have to give most of the people who come in at least three or four minutes, but it has gotten harder over the years.

"What’s amazing, even after seven seasons, and we’ve had some shockingly bad people this year, is how much they still believe that they’re right and I’m wrong and they got more argumentative with me this year. All I’m trying to do is help them."

However, he added that it was worth sitting through the agonising early performances to find a deserving winner, saying: "You have to have that mix within the show. I think that if it was completely sanitised, the audition process, that everybody came in and they were just competent, I think it would probably be the more boring show on TV. So, it’s fun for me to watch. It is torture for me to do it."

American Idol airs on Thursday and Friday nights on ITV2 from January 17.