19 Entertainment
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19 Entertainment, based in London and Los Angeles, is a leading creator and producer of entertainment properties, including American Idol in the United States, Pop Idol in the United Kingdom, as well as versions of the Idol series in more than seventy countries around the world and the United States television show So You Think You Can Dance. The company was founded in 1985 by Simon Fuller - the name came from the bestselling single "19" by Paul Hardcastle who Fuller was managing at the time. It has gone on to create over 500 number one singles and 240 number one albums.
The company has recording contracts with and/or manages or has managed former American Idol and Pop Idol participants, such as Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Blake Lewis, Katharine McPhee, David Archuleta, David Cook, Jordin Sparks, Will Young and Gareth Gates, as well as Annie Lennox. It has also managed many other artists, primarily from the music industry, most notably the Spice Girls and S Club 7.
The company has also entered into an exclusive global joint venture with David Beckham, his wife Victoria Beckham and the super model Claudia Schiffer. As well as pop acts, 19 represents many songwriters and producers including Cathy Dennis, Steelworks, Simon Ellis, and Absolute.
Traditionally an artist management company, in recent years 19 has diversified, (as shown in the group name change from 19 Management to 19 Entertainment) to become a group of over 20 companies and has some of the entertainment industry's top creative personnel.
In March 2005, 19 Entertainment founder Simon Fuller sold the group to Robert Sillerman's CKX, Inc. in a cash and stock deal worth £100 million ($192 million). Fuller has remained in his role as President of 19 and has become a director of CKX.
More recently 19 Entertainment has expanded into sport and in August 2006 began handling commercial opportunities for the England national football team (through subsidiary 1966 Entertainment) in a four year deal. Also in 2006 Simon Fuller was approached to re-launch the Formula One racing team Honda Racing, and developed the 'earth car' concept for the company. In 2007 Simon Fuller won a Green Award for this work and was praised for the initiative by environmentalists.
On 5th September 2006 19 Entertainment's founder Simon Fuller and French born fashion designer Roland Mouret announced a joint partmership, under the banner 19 RM. The partnership will merge the entrepreneurial skills of Fuller and the marketing skills of 19 alongside the design skills of Mouret, an internationally renowned designer.
Simon Fuller is now one of the most powerful entertainment figures in the world. He has a personal wealth in excess of $1,000,000,000 and in late 2007 was rumoured to be in negotiations to buy his company back from CKX.
