Has he eaten it yet?.

Why

Cos he said that if Pop Idol's Xmas single wasn't the biggest seller of the year, he would eat his hat.

Hope they show it live on telly

He also said he'll engineer Gareth Gates taking America by storm

That guy never talks crap, does he?

*Awaits abuse from Gareth fans*

But did he really believe it? Or was he just trying to talk up the sales?

He said Michelle would win and she did. Maybe he thinks his words have an affect on the public.

I think his ego gets in the way of his judgement at times. I dont think he'd say it and not mean it. I doubt he likes looking silly on a regular basis

Yep I think you are right.

If that was series one, I think the Pop Idols would have been Chistmas number one, but the public have wised up a bit and not as many feel that they want to rush out and buy something just because it won a lot of votes on a TV show.

I guess from Cowell's experience, everything first released from these shows (apart from One True Voice) was number one. He and others must have assumed the same.