Cowell, 55, was jeered by the crowd as he showed his displeasure at being given the notoriously tricky category of mentoring the Over 25s category in this year's X Factor, reported Daily Mirror.
"For f--ks sake," he blurted out before walking over to the hosts. "Are you winding me up? Are you sure this is the right name in there? Can I have a look?"
Shortly after the episode aired, Cowell spoke out on Twitter about his word choice.
The judges and categories were paired up by fans of the show for the first time ever this year, who voted via the social networking site.
Cheryl Fernandez-Versini will oversee the Groups, while new judges Nick Grimshaw will mentor the Boys and Rita Ora will look after the Girls.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
