Simon Cowell bio coming

AP -NEW YORK—A biography of former "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell is coming soon.

Ballantine Books announced Thursday that it will publish Tom Bower's "Sweet Revenge: The Intimate Life of Simon Cowell" in the spring. According to Ballantine, an imprint of Random House Inc., Bower has had "hundreds of hours" of access to Cowell. The book will also include "direct contributions" from Cowell's friends and foes.

The acerbic Brit was a judge on Fox's "American Idol" for nine seasons. He left "Idol" to launch his British-born hit series "The X Factor" in the U.S. It debuted on Fox this fall.

Bower has written 19 books, including biographies of former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and media mogul Conrad Black.