Simon Cowell Faces High Court Battle Over Multimillion-Dollar Deal Allegedly Sealed on Napkin

Simon Cowell is facing High Court legal proceedings initiated by Ian Rosenblatt, a former business adviser, who claims the television personality owes him commission payments under a multimillion-dollar deal allegedly documented on a napkin in 2022 and later formalized in writing. Rosenblatt is seeking either payment of the disputed percentage or £100,000 in damages for breach of contract. Cowell has not yet filed a defence to the claim.

The Disputed Agreement

According to court documents, Rosenblatt and Cowell reached an oral understanding during dinner at Cowell's London residence in October 2022. At that time, Rosenblatt was planning to step down from his role as director of SyCo Entertainment, Cowell's production company, after finding the working relationship challenging. The terms of their agreement were allegedly written down on a napkin and signed by Cowell that evening.

The handwritten terms specified a tiered commission structure: Rosenblatt would receive 8 percent of any deal valued above $30 million (£22 million), 10 percent for deals exceeding $50 million (£37 million), and 15 percent for agreements surpassing $100 million (£74 million). This informal agreement was subsequently formalized and signed again by Cowell at his Cotswolds home in February 2023, according to Rosenblatt's legal representatives.

Background and Working History

Rosenblatt, himself a qualified lawyer, began working for Cowell in 2018 as a business adviser. He played a significant role in facilitating the transfer of SyCo Entertainment shares from Sir Philip Green and Sony to Cowell, resulting in the television personality acquiring a 100 percent stake in the company from July 2020 onwards. Following this transaction, Rosenblatt was appointed as director of SyCo.

Katherine Ratcliffe, representing Rosenblatt, characterized the working relationship as strained. She stated in court filings that Rosenblatt found Cowell "unpredictable" and "extremely emotional," describing communication with him as "difficult." By September 2022, Rosenblatt had decided to formally resign and cease providing business advisory services, prompting the dinner negotiation that led to the napkin agreement.

The Disputed Payment

Rosenblatt claims that following completion of a confidential deal in 2025, he sent Cowell an invoice for the commission owed under their agreement. The fee has allegedly not been paid within 30 days of the invoice or at any point thereafter. Rosenblatt's legal team contends this constitutes a breach of both the original dinner agreement and the formalized February 2023 letter.