Watch CBS News

'American Idol' Creator Simon Fuller Gets Star On Walk Of Fame

HOLLYWOOD (CBS) — "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller will receive the 2,441st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Monday, honoring a 30-year career that has included managing the careers of soccer star David Beckham and music's most successful girl group, the Spice Girls.

"American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest and Carrie Underwood, the show's 2005 champion, will join Fuller in speaking at the late-morning ceremony in front of the W Hollywood hotel at 6268 Hollywood Blvd. The ceremony comes one day before "American Idol's" final performance show of the season and two days before its 10th winner is announced at the Nokia Theatre.

Born May 17, 1960, in Hastings, England, Fuller began his career in 1981 at British label Chrysalis Records. In 1983, he was responsible for signing Madonna's first hit "Holiday" to the company.

Fuller's discovery of the British musician Paul Hardcastle prompted him to form his own management company, 19 Entertainment, named for Hardcastle's chart-topping Vietnam War song "19" in 1985.

Fuller created "Pop Idol," the singing competition series that premiered on Britain's ITV network in 2001 and led to more than 120 other versions, most famously "American Idol," which, when the television season concludes this week, will have been the most-watched prime-time show for the seventh consecutive season, extending its own record.

Fuller is also the creator of the Fox summer series "So You Think You Can Dance." Versions air in 16 other nations.

Fuller sold 19 Entertainment to the New York-based entertainment content and intellectual property company CKX in March 2005 in a cash and stock deal worth more than $200 million. He formed a new company, XIX Entertainment in 2010.

Fuller entered the fashion industry in 2006 in a joint venture with designer Roland Mouret that includes a store in London. He also manages the careers of British tennis star Andy Murray and the 2008 Formula One driving champion Lewis Hamilton.

He also has managed the careers of singers Annie Lennox and Amy Winehouse.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.