American Idol was created by Simon Fuller. The show was based on his earlier British format, Pop Idol.

Quick context

American Idol first premiered in the U.S. in 2002 and became a major singing competition franchise. Its format came from the UK version, where Simon Fuller developed the original concept.

Creator detail

  • Creator: Simon Fuller.
  • Original idea: The Idol format began with Pop Idol in Britain.
  • U.S. adaptation: American Idol imported that format for American television.

TL;DR: Simon Fuller created American Idol.