'I would rather cut myself a thousand times' - Simon Cowell on working with Katie Hopkins on BGT

Simon Cowell with his Outstanding Contribution to Entertainment award and Lauren Silverman during the Elle Style Awards 2015

Katie Hopkins

Who? A former contestant on the BBC's The Apprentice, who went on to achieve fame for her outlandish opinions, and become a general media hate figure. Rumoured to have been offered a record-breaking fee to appear on the show.

Previous TV appearances: Hopkins participated in season three of The Apprentice in 2006, and in ITV's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2007. She has also made various guest appearances on shows including 8 Out of 10 Cats, Loose Women, and This Morning, and appeared as a panellist on Channel 5's The Big Benefits Row: Live.

Odds of winning: 16/1

Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, David Walliams and Simon Cowell are all back for the new series of Britain's Got Talent (Syco Entertainment/ITV)

Simon Cowell with his Outstanding Contribution to Entertainment award and Lauren Silverman during the Elle Style Awards 2015

Katie Hopkins Who? A former contestant on the BBC's The Apprentice, who went on to achieve fame for her outlandish opinions, and become a general media hate figure. Rumoured to have been offered a record-breaking fee to appear on the show. Previous TV appearances: Hopkins participated in season three of The Apprentice in 2006, and in ITV's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2007. She has also made various guest appearances on shows including 8 Out of 10 Cats, Loose Women, and This Morning, and appeared as a panellist on Channel 5's The Big Benefits Row: Live. Odds of winning: 16/1

Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, David Walliams and Simon Cowell are all back for the new series of Britain's Got Talent (Syco Entertainment/ITV)

Simon Cowell with his Outstanding Contribution to Entertainment award and Lauren Silverman during the Elle Style Awards 2015

Catherine Wylie

February 25 2015 12:24 PM

Katie Hopkins is unlikely to be a judge on Britain's Got Talent if Simon Cowell has anything to do with it.

Asked if there would ever be space for the outspoken The Apprentice and Celebrity Big Brother contestant on the judging panel of the ITV talent show, music mogul Cowell said: "I would rather take a bath, fill it with vinegar, cut myself a thousand times, immerse myself slowly for an hour, than work with her. So the answer is no."

Cowell was speaking at the Elle Style Awards in London, where he won the outstanding contribution to entertainment accolade. He joked that he would keep his award in his "aircraft hangar" where he keeps his awards.

Meanwhile, he said his advice to One Direction was to "stay together" and asked if he thought talent show acts get snubbed at the Brit Awards, said: "Sometimes, but I think we've kind of broken the mould with that.

"I don't get kind of like, upset, about it. It's all about having hit records. If you can get awards as well it's brilliant, but I have no complaints."

Hopkins later tweeted a link to his remarks and joked: "Cowell still sitting on the fence about the rumours I'll be joining the panel @BGT".