Simon Cowell - Cowell Blasts 'Ungrateful' Clarkson

British music mogul SIMON COWELL has blasted KELLY CLARKSON for turning her back on AMERICAN IDOL - the TV contest that launched her pop career.

The BREAKAWAY singer, who won the first season of the hit US show, has refused to let the programme's producers use any of her hits for wannabes to sing in its latest run, which started last night (17JAN06).

And angry Cowell suggests the singer should be more grateful to producers for giving her her big break.

He fumes, "No matter how talented Kelly Clarkson is, she would not be in the position she's in now without winning this show.

"It's the public who bothered to pick up the phone to vote for her. I don't care about me; I don't think she was ever interested in me. I was interested in the fact that she was a great contestant.

"I don't like when they walk away from the show and kind of forget the people who put her where she is today. By ignoring the show you're ignoring the audience who put you there.

"If she refuses to give songs to be used on the show, it's like saying to every person who voted for you, 'You know what, thank you I'm not interested in you anymore.' That is a big mistake."