Syco Entertainment facts for kids

Syco Entertainment is a British company that creates and produces TV shows and music. It is based in London and was started by the famous TV personality Simon Cowell. The company mainly focuses on making television programs.

Syco Entertainment was formed in 2005. This happened when Sony Music joined forces with Simon Cowell. They bought parts of his music label, S Records, and his TV company, Syco Television. In 2009, Sony and Cowell agreed to own Syco's TV shows together. These shows include the popular Got Talent and The X Factor series.

Until 2020, Syco worked with Sony Music and the TV production company Fremantle. They have offices in London and Los Angeles. Syco has helped launch the careers of many famous artists. These include One Direction, Leona Lewis, Little Mix, Susan Boyle, and Fifth Harmony. They also helped artists like Il Divo and Westlife. Syco has also produced movies like One Direction: This Is Us (2013).

In July 2020, Simon Cowell bought Sony Music's share in Syco Entertainment. However, Sony Music kept the music part of the company, Syco Music. This means Cowell now fully owns the TV rights and assets of Syco Entertainment.

How Syco Entertainment Started

Simon Cowell first started S Records in 2004. This was when he worked for BMG. His label worked with artists like Robson & Jerome and Westlife. A year later, BMG, which was then called Sony BMG, bought Cowell's shares in both Syco Music and Syco Television.

In 2010, a new company was created. It was a 50/50 partnership between Cowell and Sony Music. They kept the name Syco, but it was called Syco Entertainment. In 2015, they decided to continue this partnership for another six years.

The company was first split into three parts: Syco Music, SYCOtv, and Syco Film. In July 2020, Simon Cowell bought Sony Music's share in the company. Sony Music kept the artists and music catalog.

What Syco Does

Syco's TV operations started as SYCOtv in 2003. They mainly worked in the UK and US. Their main shows were The X Factor and Got Talent.

After Simon Cowell bought Sony Music's share in 2020, he expanded his TV deals. In 2021, he made a new agreement with NBCUniversal. This deal helps develop new unscripted shows for the streaming service Peacock. As part of this deal, Cowell appeared as a judge on AGT: Extreme. This show is a spin-off from America's Got Talent.

The X Factor

The X Factor first aired in September 2004. It became one of the most popular TV shows in the UK. Syco and Fremantle Media also launched The X Factor USA in September 2011. This show was very popular in America.

Around the world, The X Factor is produced in 41 countries. These include major places like France, the Netherlands, and Australia. The X Factor USA was also shown in 166 countries.

Got Talent

Britain's Got Talent is a very popular show in the UK. It usually airs in April, May, and June. In 2009, almost 20 million people watched the third season final. They saw Diversity win the competition.

America's Got Talent has also been very successful. In the summer of 2011, its sixth season had very high ratings. Since it started in 2006, America's Got Talent has often been the most watched show of the summer in the US.

Other Projects

Syco also produces other shows besides its main ones. In 2011, they produced the ITV series Red or Black?. Syco was also behind American Inventor and Celebrity Duets.

They also produce special entertainment shows. One example is I Dreamed a Dream: The Susan Boyle Story. This show broke viewing records in the US and had 10 million viewers in the UK. In 2013, Syco launched the ITV series Food Glorious Food.

Syco Entertainment helped produce the film One Direction: This Is Us in 2013. They also produced One Direction: Where We Are in 2014. These films followed the lives of the pop group One Direction. The band had finished third in the 2010 UK X Factor series. They were then signed to Syco.

In January 2013, Syco started a new TV division in London. It was called Over The Top Productions. This company was led by Nigel Hall, Syco's Global Head of Television. It was responsible for shows like ITV's Rolling In It.

You Generation

In March 2013, Syco worked with YouTube to launch The You Generation channel. This channel was called the 'world's first global audition'.

La Banda

In May 2014, Syco and Univision announced a new TV show called La Banda. This show looked for contestants from Hispanic America. The goal was to find the "ultimate Latino boy band." The winners would get a recording contract with Sony Music Latin and Syco.

I Can't Sing!

In 2014, Syco launched I Can't Sing!. This was a musical comedy based on The X Factor. The show had some technical problems and did not get good reviews. It closed in London's West End of London less than two months after it opened. Simon Cowell later said that sometimes things just don't work out. He felt they had been too ambitious trying to launch a new show in the West End.

Shows Produced by Syco

Current Productions

• America's Got Talent (2006–present)
• Britain's Got Talent (2007–present)
• Romania Got Talent (2011–present)

Former Productions

• X Factor Romania (2011–2018, 2020–2021, 2025)

Screen and Stage Productions

• One Direction: This Is Us (2013)
• I Can't Sing! The X Factor Musical (2014)
• One Direction: Where We Are (2014)

See also

• Syco Music - This company became separate from Syco Entertainment in July 2020.