Furious Sharon Osbourne has given Amanda Holden a very public dressing down after the Britain’s Got Talent judge called her “bitter and pathetic”.
Amanda picked the wrong woman to mess with when she gave her view on former X Factor judges Sharon and Louis Walsh ’s comments about Simon Cowell when they both recently appeared on Celebrity Big Brother.
During their stint on the ITV reboot of the show, they made fun of Simon's appearance and joked he would “need more Botox” when they finished sharing gossip about him to the country. Sharon claimed she wouldn't work with Simon again for "all the money in the world", while Louis claimed Simon makes everything "about him."
This clearly rubbed Amanda - who still works with Simon on Britain’s Got Talent - up the wrong way. Leaping to his defence, she said: "I hated seeing certain people in a reality show dissing Simon - he's the person who's given them all the chances, given them a lot of money and a lifestyle they probably wouldn't have had."
But this prompted 71-year-old Sharon, who is married to Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne, to give Amanda a “proper education” about who she is, as she claimed it was Simon who needed her – and quipped the money she made from doing his shows “went on a few handbags”.
Amanda Holden hits the beach in her New Year's Eve outfit after partyingSharon, who is thought to have amassed a family fortune of £341 million with Ozzy, tagged Amanda directly in a social media post and said: “I respect the fact that you feel the need to defend your good friend Simon Cowell, who is also your husband’s employer, or so I’ve read. However, a couple of your statements regarding myself are factually incorrect.
“The truth is, you don’t know me, Amanda, or any of my close friends. You know nothing about my history in the music industry, my achievements, the artists I’ve worked with, the shows I’ve produced, and my global celebrity. Unlike you, the brand of Sharon Osbourne is known worldwide. There are many countries that I could work in if I choose to, however, I don’t have the ambition or the time to do so.”
Sharon’s scathing statement continued: “Our worlds are totally different. I have been blessed with an amazing lifestyle throughout my entire life. Before you were born, I was living in a mansion in Beverly Hills, and continue to do so today and continue to have my country estate in England as well. But there is something you should know. I never discuss money, lifestyle, or positions of power. I find it to be classless and crude.
“However, you’ve now forced my hand to divulge these things to you and I honestly don’t want to seem like I’m bragging, but the truth is my money and success were not due to doing a couple of Simon Cowell shows. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed doing them at the time as they were great fun. Yes, Simon paid me very well. Probably more than what you’re receiving today, but all of that my darling went on a few handbags.”
The former talent show judge went on to say that at the time she worked on the X Factor she was the “only judge who had global accomplishments, with multi-million selling artists, Grammy Award winners and arena and stadium headliners”, as well as being “a very successful festival producer with Ozzfest which ran for 24 years, as well as a best-selling author and producer of the hit show ‘The Osbournes’, for which I received an Emmy Award.”
Tearing into Amanda again, Sharon said: “Amanda, I think you’re missing the point here. No disrespect to Simon Cowell, but he NEEDED ME for musical credibility on X Factor and I delivered for him and together we made a great team. It was only after several seasons of X Factor that Simon started to build his music empire and I give him much kudos for what he built.
“When I met my husband I was already very well established in the music industry. Having worked with bands like Electric Light Orchestra, Motorhead, Smashing Pumpkins, Gary Moore, The Move, Roy Woods Wizzard, Britt Ekland and Black Sabbath to name a few. I think you must have forgotten my husband is a music icon who has sold 170 million albums, won multiple Grammy Awards and is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee. We have been together 44 years and he has spoiled me from the first day we met, he has given me more than any man ever could, all of this before I ever knew who Simon Cowell was.”
In a warning to Amanda, Sharon ended the post with: “I must say whenever I have seen you on TV I always thought you were very beautiful and talented. However, never make comments about my lifestyle given to me by Simon Cowell. It’s demeaning to me and my husband and all the achievements I have made in my life as you’re making yourself look like an ill informed sycophantic. Sincerely, Sharon Osbourne.”A spokesperson for Amanda said: “Amanda is aware of Sharon’s incredible career but, just like her, Amanda will always defend those close to her.”